RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between nuclear factor-KappaB (NF-KappaB) activity and kidney injury in rats with postburn sepsis. METHODS: Rats subjected to 30% full-thickness scald injury, followed by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were used in the present study. Fifty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, postburn sepsis 1, 2, 6, 12, 24 hours groups, and sepsis with NF-KappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment 1, 2, and 6 hour groups. NF-KappaB activity, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) protein expression, and renal function were determined with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA), and automatic biochemistry analyzer, respectively. RESULTS: NF-KappaB activity in kidney was markedly enhanced and reached its peak 1 hour after scalding and injection of LPS (all P<0.01), and was decreased remarkably after the administration of PDTC. PDTC could suppress the elevated plasma TNF-alpha protein expression (both P<0.01), but not renal TNF-alpha levels. PDTC could not reduce blood urea nitrogen and blood creatinine contents, which were increased after scalding followed by LPS challenge. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the treatment with NF-KappaB inhibitor PDTC could down-regulate the NF-KappaB activity in kidney, but it could not protect the renal function in rats with postburn sepsis.