Oxytocin maintains lung histological and functional integrity to confer protection in heat stroke

Abstract

Oxytocin (OT) has been reported to have a protective effect in lipopolysaccharide-induced experimental acute lung injury (ALI). However, its role in heat stroke-related ALI has never been investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of action of OT on heat-induced ALI. Rats were treated with OT 60 min before the start of heat stress (42 °C for 80 min). Twenty minutes after the termination of heat stress, the effects of OT on lung histopathological changes, edema, acute pleurisy and the bronchoalveolar fluid levels of inflammatory cytokines and indicators of ischemia, cellular damage, and oxidative damage were assessed. We also evaluated the influence of OT pretreatment on heat-induced hypotension, hyperthermia, ALI score, and death in a rat model of heat stroke. The results showed that OT significantly reduced heat-induced lung edema, neutrophil infiltration, hemorrhage score, myeloperoxidase activity, ischemia, and the levels of inflammatory and oxidative damage markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The survival assessment confirmed the pathophysiological and biochemical results. An OT receptor antagonist (L-368,899) was administered 10 min before the OT injection to further demonstrate the role of OT in heat-induced ALI. The results showed that OT could not protect against the aforementioned heat stroke responses in rats treated with L-368,899. Interestingly, OT treatment 80 min after the start of heat shock did not affect survival. In conclusion, our data indicate that OT pretreatment can reduce the ischemic, inflammatory and oxidative responses related to heat-induced ALI in rats.

Can intravenous oxytocin infusion counteract hyperinflammation in COVID-19 infected patients?

“…Accordingly, the elevation in the expression of NF-jB was ablated. Oxytocin has also been demonstrated to alleviate the consequences of a heat stroke elicited acute lung injury in rats (Lin et al 2019). A blunted inflammatory response was also seen in this case together with an improved survival.…”

ZBP1 and heatstroke

“…For instance, elevation of the levels of creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB, and alanine aminotransferase can indicate damage to different organs (3,4). Histopathology has also fully confirmed the morphological and other pathological changes in patients and animals with heatstroke (4,(148)(149)(150). When heat stress persists, the blood flow is redistributed, which is manifested as a decreased visceral blood flow and an increased blood flow to the skin and vital organs, so as to meet the needs of heat dissipation.…”

“…During the heatstroke process, the lungs are the most vulnerable and injured organs owing to their unique structure. Patients mainly present with acute lung injury (ALI), accompanied by pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, pleural effusion, and exudation of inflammatory cells and cytokines (150,176,177). ALI was also found in mouse and rat models of heatstroke (21,99,158,(177)(178)(179)(180)(181)(182)(183).…”

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Effects of Isorhamnetin for Protection Against Lung Injury in a Rat Model of Heatstroke in a Dry-Heat Environment

“…A recent study showed that the heatstroke reaction was similar to septic shock caused by endotoxins [ 23 ]. Excessive exercise and heat stress lead to endotoxemia by damaging intestinal barrier integrity, thus activating heatstroke pathophysiological development [ 24 ].…”