Non-severe burn injury increases cancer incidence in mice and has long-term impacts on the activation and function of T cells

Abstract

Background Recent evidence suggests that burn patients are at increased risk of hospital admission for infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease and cancer for many years after discharge for the burn injury itself. Burn injury has also been shown to induce sustained immune system dysfunction. This change to immune function may contribute to the increased risk of chronic disease observed. However, the mechanisms that disrupt long-term immune function in response to burn trauma, and their link to long-term morbidity, remain unknown. In this study we investigated changes to immune function after burn injury using a murine model of non-severe injury. Methods An established mouse model of non-severe burn injury (full thickness burn equivalent to 8% total body surface area) was used in combination with an orthotopic model of B16 melanoma to investigate the link between burns and cancer. Considering that CD8+ T cells are important drivers of effective tumour suppression in this model, we also investigated potential dysregulation of this immune population using mouse models of burn injury in combination with herpes simplex virus infection. Flow cytometry was used to detect and quantify cell populations of interest and changes in immune function. Results We demonstrate that 4 weeks after a non-severe burn injury, mice were significantly more susceptible to tumour development than controls using an orthotopic model of B16 melanoma. In addition, our results reveal that CD8+ T cell expansion, differentiation and memory potential is significantly impaired at 1 month post-burn. Conclusions Our data suggests that CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity may be dysfunctional for a sustained period after even non-severe burn injury. Further studies in patients to validate these findings may support clinical intervention to restore or protect immunity in patients after burn injury and reduce the increased risk of secondary morbidities observed.

Prediction of immune molecules activity during burn wound healing among elderly patients: in-silico analyses-Experimental research

“…Teisserenc et al revealed the functional impairment of NK cells during burn injuries and its association with septic shock after burning 105 . However, Barrett et al 106 demonstrated that non-sever burn injuries didn’t impact NK cell activities, and accordingly, burn severity can be an influential factor on NK cell activity or count. Also, inconsistent with our findings, Devine et al 107 showed an extreme count reduction of NK cells after severe burn injuries.…”

Potential Effect of Glutamine in the Improvement of Intestinal Stem Cell Proliferation and the Alleviation of Burn-Induced Intestinal Injury via Activating YAP: A Preliminary Study

“…Based on the previous study, we constructed a burned mouse model [ 41 ]. Briefly, the 1% pentobarbital sodium (40 mg/kg) was used to anesthetize mice; the hair on the back of mice was removed with a razor and coated with hair removal cream for 20 s. Additionally, the cream was gently wiped away with medical gauze soaked with PBS so that the exposed area was about 30% of the total surface of the body.…”