Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi 2022 , Vol 28 , Issue 1
Effect of Tocilizumab on Acinetobacter baumannii Lung Infection in an Immunosuppressed Rat Model
Demet CELEBI1, Zekai HALICI2, Ozgur CELEBI4, Nurullah AKGUN5, Irfan CINAR6, Iclal HALICI7, Kagan Tolga CINISLI4, Serkan YILDIRIM8
1Atatürk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
2Atatürk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
3Atatürk University, Clinical Research, Development and Design Application and Research Center, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
4Atatürk University, Regional Education and Research Hospital, Department of Microbiology, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
5Atatürk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
6Kastamonu University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, TR-37100 Kastamonu - TÜRKİYE
7Atatürk University, Faculty of Medicine, Infectious Community, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
8Atatürk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, TR-25100 Erzurum - TÜRKİYE
DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2021.26491 Our study aimed to investigate effect of tocilizumab on the lung tissue in the presence of Acinetobacter baumannii infection in immunosuppressed rats. A forty-eight female Wistar albino rats were divided equally into eight groups: Group 1: Healthy (H), Group 2: Immunosuppressed (IM), Group 3: Healthy rats given A. baumannii bacteria (H+BAC), Group 4: Immunosuppressed rats given A. baumannii bacteria (IM+BAC), Group 5: Healthy rats given tocilizumab (H+TCZ), Group 6: Immunosuppressed rats given tocilizumab (IM+TCZ), Group 7: Healthy rats given A. baumannii bacteria and tocilizumab (H+BAC+TCZ), Group 8: Immunosuppressed rats given tocilizumab and A. baumannii bacteria (IM+BAC+TCZ). Fourteen days after the immunosuppression of group 2, 4, 6 and 8 with hydrocortisone, group 3, 4, 7 and 8 were A. baumannii was dropped into the trachea. One hour after A. baumannii application, TCZ was administered to Groups 5, 6, 7 and 8. NF-κB, IL-6 and NLRP3 mRNA expressions were decreased in the IM group compared to the healthy group (P<0.05). Although NF-κB, IL-6 and NLRP3 mRNA expression decreased in the IM+TCZ group compared to the healthy group (P<0.05) NF-κB, IL-6 and NLRP3 mRNA expression increased in the H+TCZ group (P<0.05). Despite decreasing cytokines, A. baumannii has been shown to increase infection-related lung injury. This suggests that in patients currently or recently using steroids, tocilizumab may increase organ damage due to opportunistic infection. Keywords : Acinetobacter baumannii, Tocilizumab, Immunosuppressed rat