Abed N. Azab a,b , Sergio Kobal b , Mazal Rubin a , Jacob Kaplanski a
07 February 2005
Rats, endotoxemic, Lipopolysaccharide, Interleukin-1β, Cyclooxygenase, Endotoxemia
Prostanoids and cytokines are known to play a pivotal role in the mechanisms leading to endotoxin-induced cardiovascular failure. We investigated the effect of nimesulide (NIM), a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on the cardiovascular alterations occurring during endotoxemia, and on prostaglandin E<sub>2</sub> (PGE<sub>2</sub>), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels in endotoxemic rats. NIM significantly reduced endotoxin-induced elevation of plasma and myocardial levels of TNF-α, but not those of IL-1β. Searching for the mechanism underlying the anti-TNF-α effect of NIM, it was found that the drug reduced nuclear factor kappa B activation through diminished nuclear levels of p-65 accompanied by a protective effect against the cardiovascular alterations and mortality seen during endotoxemia. In addition, the inhibitory effect of NIM on endotoxin-induced elevation in plasma and hypothalamic levels of PGE<sub>2</sub> was noteworthy, and this may suggest that the large amounts of PGE<sub>2</sub> observed during endotoxemia are mainly produced via COX-2.
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