Thermal injury induces impaired function in polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes and reduced control of burn wound infection

Abstract

SummarySevere thermal injury induces immunosuppression, involving all parts of the immune system, especially when large fractions of the total body surface area are affected. An animal model was established to characterize the burninduced immunosuppression. In our novel mouse model a 6% third-degree burn injury was induced in mice with a hot-air blower. The third-degree burn was confirmed histologically. The mice were allocated into five groups: control, shave, burn, infection and burn infection group. At 48 h, a decline in the concentration of peripheral blood leucocytes was observed in the group of mice with burn wound. The reduction was ascribed to the decline in concentration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocytes and monocytes. When infecting the skin with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dissemination of bacteria was observed only in the burn wound group. Histological characterization of the skin showed a more polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes (PMNs)-dominated inflammation in the group of mice with infected burn wound compared with the with burn wound group. In contrast, a higher degree of inflammation was observed in the burn wound group compared with the group of mice with infected burn wound. Furthermore, the oxidative burst and the phagocytic capacity of the PMNs were reduced in the group of mice with burn wound. Using this novel mouse model of thermal injury a decline of peripheral leucocytes was observed, whereas the increased local inflammatory response at the site of infection showed reduced capacity to contain and eliminate the infection.

Surgical Trauma and Postoperative Immune Dysfunction

“…The intestine of mice is pressed smoothly, three times consecutively to induce a significant immune suppression as detected by the impaired ex vivo cytokine release of splenocytes [21]. Similar observations of trauma-induced immune suppression were made in mice with burn wounds: the concentration of peripheral blood leucocytes declined several hours following the trauma [22]. In addition, haemorrhage trauma influences the immune function and this effect was shown to involve a Toll-like receptor 4 pathway in mice [23,24].…”

Bacterial cellulose as a material for wound treatment: Properties and modifications. A review

“…These infections are one of the most common and severe sequelae in the wound recovery process and are the major factor delaying healing . The problem of wound colonization with microorganisms is particularly critical in burn patients due to their adversely affected immune systems, coupled with the extensive disruption of the physical skin barrier that no longer prevents bacterial invasion (Calum et al, 2009).…”

Surgical Trauma Leads to a Shorter Survival in a Murine Orthotopic Pancreatic Cancer Model

“…However, HLA-DR is expressed only by humans and therefore not a useful marker in mouse models. Nevertheless, surgery- and trauma-induced severe immunosuppression is also seen in equivalent murine models [8,9,10,11]. …”