Inflammation and other immune responses are involved in the variety of diseases and disorders. The acute response to endotoxemia includes activation of innate immune mechanisms as well as changes in autonomic nervous activity. The autonomic nervous system and the inflammatory response are intimately linked and sympathetic and vagal nerves are thought to have anti-inflammation functions. The basic functional circuit between vagus nerve and inflammatory response was identified and the neuroimmunomodulation loop was called cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Unique function of vagus nerve in the anti-inflammatory reflex arc was found in many experimental and pre-clinical studies. They brought evidence on the cholinergic signaling interacting with systemic and local inflammation, particularly suppressing immune cells function. Pharmacolo-gical/electrical modulation of vagal activity suppressed TNF-α and other proinflammatory cytokines production and had beneficial therapeutic effects. Many questions related to mapping, linking and targeting of vagal-immune interactions have been elucidated and brought understanding of its basic physiology and provided the initial support for development of Tracey´s inflammatory reflex. This review summarizes and critically assesses the current knowledge defining cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway with main focus on studies employing an experimental approach and emphasizes the potential of modulation of vagally-mediated anti-inflammatory pathway in the treatment strategies.

The respiratory system is constantly exposed to pathogens which enter the lungs by inhalation or via blood stream. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), also named endotoxin, can reach the airspaces as the major component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, and lead to local inflammation and systemic toxicity. LPS affects alveolar type II (ATII) cells and pulmonary surfactant and although surfactant molecule has the effective protective mechanisms, excessive amount of LPS interacts with surfactant film and leads to its inactivation. From immunological point of view, surfactant specific proteins (SPs) SP-A and SP-D are best characterized, however, there is increasing evidence on the involvement of SP-B and SP-C and certain phospholipids in immune reactions. In animal models, the instillation of LPS to the respiratory system induces acute lung injury (ALI). It is of clinical importance that endotoxin-induced lung injury can be favorably influenced by intratracheal instillation of exogenous surfactant. The beneficial effect of this treatment was confirmed for both natural porcine and synthetic surfactants. It is believed that the surfactant preparations have anti-inflammatory properties through regulating cytokine production by inflammatory cells. The mechanism by which LPS interferes with ATII cells and surfactant layer, and its consequences are discussed below.

The aim of the study was to evaluate short-term heart rate variability (HRV) as an index of cardiac autonomic control in rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (100 µg/kg b.w.) and control group with an equivalent volume of saline. ECG recordings were done before (base) and 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min after LPS or saline administration. HRV magnitude was quantified by time and frequency-domain analysis (mean RR interval, SDRR, RMSSD, spectral powers in low (LF) and high frequency (HF) bands. Heart tissue homogenates and plasma were analyzed to determine interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and oxidative stress level (TBARS). Administration of lipopolysaccharide was followed by continuous rise in colonic body temperature compared to saline-treated controls. Endotoxemia in rats was accompanied by significant decrease in HRV spectral activity in high-frequency range at maximal body temperature (logHFpower: 1.2±0.5 vs. 1.9±0.6 ms2, P<0.01). Increased IL-6 was found in heart tissue homogenates of LPS rats (8.0±0.6 vs. 26.4±4.8 pg/ml, (P<0.05). In conclusions, reduced HRV in HF band may indicate a decreased parasympathetic activity in LPS-induced endotoxemia as basic characteristics of altered cardiac control during response to endotoxemia.

After inhalation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules interfere with a pulmonary surfactant, a unique mixture of phospholipids (PLs) and specific proteins that decreases surface tension at the air–liquid interphase. We evaluated the behaviour of a clinically used modified porcine pulmonary surfactant (PSUR) in the presence of LPS in a dynamic system mimicking the respiratory cycle. Polymyxin B (PxB), a cyclic amphipathic antibiotic, is able to bind to LPS and to PSUR membranes. We investigated the effect of PxB on the surface properties of the PSUR/LPS system. Particular attention was paid to mechanisms underlying the structural changes in surface-reducing features. The function and structure of the porcine surfactant mixed with LPS and PxB were tested with a pulsating bubble surfactometer, optical microscopy, and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). Only 1% LPS (w/w to surfactant PLs) prevented the PSUR from reaching the necessary low surface tension during area compression. LPS bound to the lipid bilayer of PSUR and disturbed its lamellar structure by swelling. The structural changes were attributed to the surface charge unbalance of the lipid bilayers due to LPS insertion. PxB acts as an inhibitor of structural disarrangement induced by LPS and restores original lamellar packing, as detected by polarised light microscopy and SAXS.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by diffuse alveolar damage, inflammation, and transmigration and activation of inflammatory cells. This study evaluated if intravenous dexamethasone can influence lung inflammation and apoptosis in lavage-induced ALI. ALI was induced in rabbits by repetitive saline lung lavage (30 ml/kg, 9±3-times). Animals were divided into 3 groups: ALI without therapy (ALI), ALI treated with dexamethasone i.v. (0.5 mg/kg, Dexamed; ALI+DEX), and healthy non-ventilated controls (Control). After following 5 h of ventilation, ALI animals were overdosed by anesthetics. Total and differential counts of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) were estimated. Lung edema was expressed as wet/dry weight ratio. Concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-8, esRAGE, S1PR3 in the lung were analyzed by ELISA methods. In right lung, apoptotic cells were evaluated by TUNEL assay and caspase-3 immunohistochemically. Dexamethasone showed a trend to improve lung functions and histopathological changes, reduced leak of neutrophils (P<0.001) into the lung, decreased concentrations of pro-inflammatory IL-1β (P<0.05) and marker of lung injury esRAGE (P<0.05), lung edema formation (P<0.05), and lung apoptotic index (P<0.01), but increased immunoreactivity of caspase-3 in the lung (P<0.001). Considering the action of dexamethasone on respiratory parameters and lung injury, the results indicate potential of this therapy in ALI.