Posttreatment with propofol attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced up-regulation of inflammatory molecules in primary microglia.

BACKGROUND

Activation of microglia is involved in a broad range of neuroinflammatory diseases. Suppression of microglial activation may, therefore, contribute to alleviate the progression of neuroinflammatory diseases. It has been reported that propofol has a potent anti-inflammatory property. In the present study, we investigated the effects of posttreatment with propofol on the production of inflammatory molecules in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Microglia were exposed to various concentrations (25, 50, 100, 250 μM) of propofol for 1 h after LPS stimulation for 24 h. The levels of proinflammatory mediators inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured.

RESULTS

Propofol at a concentration of 25 μM did not affect the production of proinflammatory mediators, which was enhanced by LPS. At the concentrations of 50, 100, and 250 μM, propofol significantly inhibited LPS-mediated production of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β and the expression of iNOSmRNA, COX-2mRNA, TNF-α mRNA, and IL-1β mRNA.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that propofol, at clinically relevant concentrations, can reduce inflammatory responses in LPS-induced inflammation in activated microglia and might be an intravenous anesthetic of choice when patients with neuroinflammatory diseases require sedation and/or general anesthesia.