Intercellular adhension molecule-1 in the pathogenesis of heroin-induced acute lung injury in rats

Abstract

The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the pathogenesis of heroin-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats was investigated. The model of ALI was established by intravenous injection of heroin into tail vein in rats. Thirty-six rats were randomly divided into heroin-treated groups (1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h and 24 h) and normal control group. Changes in histopathologic morphology and biological markers of ALI were, measured. The expression of ICAM-1 in lung tissue was detected by using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The results showed that the W/D ratio and protein contents in BALF of the heroin-treated groups were significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). The histopathological changes in the lung tissue were more obvious in heroin-treated groups. The ICAM-1 protein and mRNA expression in the lung tissue of heroin-treated groups were significantly increased as compared with that of the control group (P<0.01), and correlated with the ALI parameters in a time-dependent manner. Increasing of ICAM-1 expression was involved in the formation of heroin-induced lung injury. Furthermore, the level of expression was positively correlated with the severity of lung injury.

Keywords

heroin / acute lung injury / intercellular adhesion molecule-1

References

[1] SporerK A. Acute heroin overdose. Ann Intern Med, 1999, 130: 584-584

[2] KringsholmB, ChristoffersenP. Lung and heart pathology in fatal drug addiction. A consecutive autopsy study. Forensic Sci Int, 1987, 34: 39-39

[3] AlbeldaS M, SmithC W, WardP A. Adhesion molecules and inflammatory injury. FASEB J, 1994, 8: 504-504

[4] QiuH B, JiangX B, ZhouS X, et al.. Function of T helper cell in mice with acute lung injury. Chin J Emerg Med (Chinese), 2002, 11: 19-19