Inflammatory response of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 in septic rats undergoing laparotomy and laparoscopy

It is generally accepted that greater inflammatory response is observed after laparotomy than laparoscopy in animal models. However, in a previous study, we reported there are no significant differences in the systemic response of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha between the laparotomy and laparoscopy groups in a rat model of endotoxic shock. The present study extends this investigation to the inflammatory response of 2 additional proinflammatory mediators, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6, in septic rats after laparotomy and laparoscopy in the same animal model. Rats received lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intraperitoneally and underwent laparotomy (n = 5), laparoscopy (n = 5), or no surgical intervention (n = 5). A control group received anesthesia only (n = 5). Serum IL-1beta and IL-6 levels were significantly higher at 2, 4, and 8 hours after LPS injection and were equally suppressed in the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups (P < 0.05). Liver IL-1beta mRNA and protein levels were significantly inhibited at 2, 4, and 8 hours in the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups. Liver IL-6 mRNA (2 and 4 hours) and protein (4 hours) levels were also suppressed significantly in both the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in hepatic levels of mRNA and protein of IL-beta and IL-6 in both the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups. These results extend our previous finding demonstrating the suppression of TNF-alpha in both the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups. The behavior of the markers used in our study demonstrated that the inflammatory response does not differ between laparotomy and laparoscopic surgery in our rat model of endotoxic shock.