Immunomodulation of volatile anesthetics (IRM9P.726)

Introduction: The impact of anesthetic exposure on the immune system is relatively unknown at both mechanistic and clinical levels. In this in vitro study, we employ immunological assays and understanding of immune cell function to evaluate the effect of volatile anesthetic (VA) exposure on bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs). BMDCc play a critical role in antigen presentation and link the innate and adaptive arms of the immune response. Hypothesis: We believe that VA exposure may modulate immune responses, specifically BMDC function. Methods: Bone marrow cells were harvested from C57BL/6 mice and cultured for six days to generate BMDCs. They were stimulated with low and high dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Simultaneously, the cells were exposed to 1.5% isoflurane and incubated for 5 hours. Upon completion of VA exposure, the BMDCs were lysed with Trizol, RNA extracted, and reverse transcript PCR used to generate cDNA. RT-qPCR was performed to evaluate gene expression of common BMDC cytokines. Results: BMDC exposure to isoflurane resulted in decreased gene expression of IL-10, IL-6, and IL-1β. RT-qPCR data indicated 2-4 fold decreases in gene expression of these cytokines. Conclusions: BMDCs exposed to VA in vitro displayed decreased gene expression of inflammatory cytokines. Significance: Better understanding of immunomodulation by anesthetics is critical for optimizing patient outcomes and improved perioperative management.