The Role of Oxidative Stress in Decreased Acetylcholinesterase Activity at the Neuromuscular Junction of the Diaphragm during Sepsis

Our recent study demonstrated that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of the diaphragm decreased during sepsis. However, the mechanisms were not clearly identified. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the decreased AChE activity was related to oxidative stress by observing AChE activity in different grades of sepsis induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP). At 24 h after surgery, an assay of thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and protein carbonyls, as well as the myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity, was conducted. AChE activity was measured by biochemical and histological detection. AChE and CAT activity in the diaphragm decreased, while the contents of TBARS and protein carbonyls, the activity of MPO and SOD, and the SOD/CAT ratios increased. The above changes were much more significant in the mid-grade septic group than in the low-grade septic group. The colour of the AChE activity staining at the NMJ gradually lightened from the sham surgery group to the mid-grade septic group. AChE activity was significantly negatively correlated with the levels of TBARS and protein carbonyls. We consider that oxidative stress might be responsible for decreased AChE activity in the diaphragms of rats induced with sepsis.