title: Inflammatory response to burn trauma: nicotine attenuates proinflammatory cytokine levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The immune response to an inflammatory stimulus is balanced and orchestrated by stimulatory and inhibitory factors. After a thermal trauma, this balance is disturbed and an excessive immune reaction with increased production and release of proinflammatory cytokines results. The nicotine-stimulated anti-inflammatory reflex offsets this. The goal of this study was to verify that transdermal administration of nicotine downregulates proinflammatory cytokine release after burn trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 30% total body surface area full-thickness rat burn model was used in Sprague Dawley rats (n = 35, male). The experimental animals were divided into a control group, a burn trauma group, a burn trauma group with additional nicotine treatment, and a sham + nicotine group with 5 experimental animals per group. The last 2 groups received a transdermal nicotine administration of 1.75 mg. The concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, and interleukin 6 were determined in homogenates of hearts, livers, and spleens 12 or 24 hours after burn trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experimental burn trauma resulted in a significant increase in cytokine levels in hearts, livers, and spleens. Nicotine treatment led to a decrease of the effect of the burn trauma with significantly lower concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta, and interleukin 6 compared to the trauma group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms in a standardized burn model that stimulation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is involved in the regulation of effectory molecules of the immune response. Looking at the results of our study, further experiments designed to explore and evaluate the potency and mechanisms of the immunomodulating effects of this receptor system are warranted.
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Claassen
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Papst
authors: Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Reimers
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Stukenborg-Colsman
authors: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Handsurgery, European Medical School, Oldenburg.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Steinstraesser
authors: Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Vogt
authors: Department of Molecular and Cell Physiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kraft
authors: Department of Hand and Plastic Surgery, Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Niederbichler
keywords: burn trauma; cytokines; inflammatory reflex; neuroimmunology; nicotine