Changes in the Function of Macrophages After Thermal Injury and Effect of Lactobacillus casei on the Function of Macrophages

Abstract

Using the experimental mouse model as thermal injury, we studied the changes in the function of mouse peritoneal macrophages after thermal injury and the antimicrobial effect of Lactobacillus casei on burned mice. On 15% burned mice, while the phagocytic ability of peritoneal macrophages reduced after thermal injury, the antibacterial activity augmented for up to 10 days. Chemiluminescence of peritoneal cells augmented 1 day after thermal injury, but thereafter it reduced. This augmentation of the antimicrobial activity at first day was thought to be due to the increment of production of active oxygens, but its augmentation thereafter may be due to other mechanisms. In the present study, while the phagocytic ability of macrophage reduced after thermal injury, its antimicrobial activity increased inversely. There is a possibility that thermal injury may defect selectively the function of peritoneal macrophages of burned mice.
When mice were injected intramuscularly with LC9018, the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macropahges from burned mice were restored to the normal level, and the antimicrobial activity and chemiluminescence increased markedly. Therefore, it is possible that LC9018 control the oppotunistic infection on burned host.