The effect of repeated sevoflurane and nitrous oxide exposure on immunity in rabbits

Abstract

: The effect of repeated sevoflurane and nitrous oxide exposure on immunity in rabbits. Vet. arhiv 88, 37-48, 2018. ABSTrACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated/prolonged exposure to sevoflurane and nitrous oxide on the immune response in rabbits. Venous blood samples were obtained from twenty New Zealand rabbits, randomly allocated to four groups of five rabbits each. Group A rabbits served as controls, breathing 100% oxygen, group B rabbits inhaled a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide, group C inhaled a combination of oxygen and sevoflurane, and group D inhaled a combination of oxygen, nitrous oxide and sevoflurane. Flow cytometry was used to determine the proportions of CD45+ and CD21 + leukocytes subpopulations. Peripheral lymph nodes, lungs and spleen were sampled and subjected to histologic examination. the greatest changes in the proportion of CD21 + and CD45 + cell counts on day 0 and day 21 showed a 30% decrease. This study demonstrated that sevoflurane alone and in combination with nitrous oxide exerts a strong immunosuppressive effect, modifying the physiological values of the hematologic parameters, and inducing histopathological alterations in peripheral lymph node, lung and spleen tissues.

Anaesthesia in Veterinary Oncology: The Effects of Surgery, Volatile and Intravenous Anaesthetics on the Immune System and Tumour Spread

“…Moreover, sevoflurane plays an important role in regulating gene expression by inducing different mRNA expression [122], which is the primary molecular mechanism responsible for the pathological processes of human diseases, including cancer [123]. According to a rabbit study, the suppression of leukocyte subpopulations (CD45+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD21+ cells) increased by anaesthesia with sevoflurane alone or in combination with nitrous oxide [124]. On canine mammary tumour cells, sevoflurane at low concentrations demonstrated a significant increase in cell proliferation, whereas it was inhibited at high concentrations [125].…”