Expression of pro-inflammatory genes in lesions, spleens and blood neutrophils after burn injuries in mice treated with silver sulfodiazine

OBJECTIVE(S): It is now supposed that cytokines released during the burn injuries have a great impact on the immunological and pathological responses after the burn. The main objective of this study was to investigate the expression of some pro-inflammatory genes in the wound, spleen and blood neutrophils during the healing process of burn wounds in a murine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of ten pro-inflammatory genes were examined in wounds, spleens and blood neutrophils of mice with burn injuries treated with either silver sulfodiazine or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) using RT-PCR at the end of the first and second weeks after injuries. RESULTS: None of the pro-inflammatory genes were expressed in the skin, spleen and blood neutrophils of healthy mice. In the group control, IL-12P35, IL-12P40, CCR5, IL-1β and IFN-γ were expressed in the spleen and blood neutrophils in the first week. Instead, CCL5, CCR5, IL-1β and IFN-γ were expressed in the wound, but in the second week, the expression of the genes became similar. In the test group, in the first week, TNF-α, IL-12P35, IL-12P40 and IL-1β were expressed in the lesions, CCL4, IL-1α, IL-12P35, IL-12P40, CCR5 and IFN-γ were expressed in the spleen and no pro-inflammatory gene expression was detected in blood neutrophils. CONCLUSION: IL-1β and IFN-γ are expressed in wound, spleen and neutrophils of untreated mice, but not in silver sulfodiazine treated mice. Hence, treatment with silver sulfodiazine suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in some stages of healing.