OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sevoflurane on cytosolic phospholipase A₂ (C-PLA₂) and clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) in lung tissues of rabbits with one-lung ventilation (OLV)-induced lung injuries.

METHODSThirty-six healthy Japanese white rabbits were randomized into sham-operated group, OLV group, and OLV plus sevoflurane group subdivided into 4 subgroups with sevoflurane concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3% and 4%. CCSP and C-PLA₂ mRNA and protein expressions in rabbit lung tissues were detected by Western blotting and real-time PCR, and the content of arachidonic acid (AA) was measured using ELISA. The severities of the lung injury were evaluated according to lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio and histological scores.

RESULTSIn the OLV group and OLV+ sevoflurane groups, pulmonary CCSP expressions were significantly lower, while C-PLA₂ expression, lung W/D ratios and lung histological scores were significantly higher than those in the sham-operated group (P<0.05). Compared with OLV group, the OLV+sevoflurane groups showed significantly increased expressions of CCSP and reduced C-PLA₂ expression, lung W/D ratios and histological scores (P<0.05). In the 4 OLV+sevoflurane groups, CCSP expressions underwent no significant changes as sevoflurane concentration increased, but C-PLA₂ expressions, lung W/D ratios and histological scores all decreased gradually as the concentrations of sevoflurane increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONOLV can result in down-regulated CCSP expressions and up-regulated C-PLA₂ expressions in rabbit lung tissues. Sevoflurane can protect against OLV-induced acute lung injury possibly by inhibiting C-PLA₂ expression via up-regulation of CCSP expressions or through other mechanisms resulting in down-regulated expression of C-PLA₂.