Activity of Na+/K+-ATPase, selleckchem measured by 86rubidium (86Rb) influx, revealed a 16·2% ± 13·1% (P < 0·01) decrease of 86Rb-influx upon LPS stimulation (Fig. 2b). In LPS-stimulated AECII co-exposed to sevoflurane 86Rb-influx reached values comparable to the control group (P < 0·01). No difference in 22Na-influx was observed in all four groups (Fig. 3a). Na+/K+-ATPase

activity in mAEC was increased by 23·7% ± 24·5% in the LPS group, 26·1% ± 38·6% in the sevo/LPS group (both P < 0·05). Sevoflurane did not have a significant impact on LPS-injured mAEC (Fig. 3b). mRNA of α-ENaC was decreased by 58% ± 26·9% in the propofol/LPS compared to the propofol/PBS group (P < 0·05) (Fig. 4a). Sevoflurane co-conditioning did not impact upon the expression of α-ENaC mRNA. γ-ENaC mRNA was down-regulated in both LPS groups compared to propofol/PBS: it decreased by 81·7% ± 12·9% (P < 0·01) in the propofol/LPS and 71·7% ± 17·3% selleck (P < 0·01) in the sevoflurane/LPS

group (Fig. 4b), with no intergroup difference. Despite an increased expression of α1-Na+/K+-ATPase mRNA in LPS-treated compared to control animals (increase of 46·5% ± 114·6 in the propofol/LPS and 99·4% ± 81·4 in the propofol/LPS group), values between all groups did not differ significantly (Fig. 4c). While LPS application impaired oxygenation in the propofol group, oxygenation could be maintained in sevoflurane/LPS-treated animals comparable to propofol/PBS (Fig. 5): at 6 h, propofol/LPS animals presented with an oxygenation index of 298 ± 180 mmHg compared to 6 h sevoflurane/LPS animals with 466 ± 50 mmHg (P < 0·05). At 8 h the difference even increased, with 198 ± 142 mmHg selleck chemicals llc in propofol/LPS animals to 454 ± 25 mmHg in LPS animals with

sevoflurane application (P < 0·001). A 27·7% ± 21·2% higher wet/dry ratio in animals treated with propofol/LPS compared to sevoflurane/LPS was observed (P < 0·05) (Fig. 6a). Sevo/LPS animals treated with amiloride presented similar wet/dry ratios to the group without amiloride application (Fig. 6b). With the current data, two main results can be summarized: first, sevoflurane has a stimulating effect on the pump function of sodium channels in LPS-injured AECII in vitro. However, no such impact was observed in a mixed culture of types I and II AEC (mAEC); rather, this cell composition reflected an in-vivo situation with predominantly type I cells in the lung. In-vivo data underline these findings, demonstrating that the presence of sevoflurane does not influence oedema resolution. Secondly, sevoflurane has a positive impact upon the course of LPS-induced injury in vivo. Animals anaesthetized with sevoflurane presented with better oxygenation. Transepithelial sodium transport plays an important role in fluid clearance in normal and injured alveoli. α-ENaC thereby seems to be crucial, as α-ENaC-deficient mice died shortly after birth due to lung oedema even without pulmonary inflammation [43].