Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of SB202190, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK signaling pathway, on the expression levels of IL-6 and NF-κB in flap ischemia-reperfusion injury. Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups of 12 each. For the ischemia-reperfusion group, the flap was constructed and then sutured after 8 h of ischemia. For the saline group, rats were intraperitoneally infused with saline at regular intervals after flap ischemia-reperfusion. For the inhibitor group, rats were intraperitoneally infused with SB202190 at regular intervals after flap ischemia-reperfusion. For the control group, the flap was constructed and then sutured immediately. The flap survival rate of each group was measured after 7 days. The concentration of IL-6 in serum was measured by ELISA kit. The mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-6 and NF-κB in the flap were measured using RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. In the ischemia-reperfusion group and the saline group, the flap survival rates were much lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). By contrast, the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-6 and NF-κB in the flap and the concentration of IL-6 in serum were much higher (P<0.05). In the inhibitor group, the flap survival rate was significantly higher than those in the ischemia-reperfusion and saline groups (P<0.05). By contrast, the concentration of IL-6 in serum and the mRNA and protein expression levels of NF-κB and IL-6 in the flap were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The results show that, SB202190 played a role in the protection of the flap by reducing the inflammatory response in flap ischemia-reperfusion injury.