Effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on electrocardiogram changes after carbon monoxide poisoning in rats

Carbon monoxide (CO), which is produced by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, has many toxic effects on different organs, especially the brain and heart. CO-induced cardiotoxicity leads to several deleterious effects, including electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulation factor (G-CSF) on ECG after CO poisoning in rats. Single and multiple doses of G-CSF (10, 50, and 100 µg/kg) were administered to groups, each containing 5 male Wistar rats (16 groups for ECG analysis and 16 groups for pathological analysis). Rats were already exposed to CO at either 1,500 or 3,000 ppm concentrations for 60 minutes. ECG findings (e.g., ST-segment and T-wave changes), cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., heart blocks and ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias), and histological changes were determined after G-CSF administration. At 3,000 ppm, frequencies of ST elevation, depression, and T inversion in ECG were significantly reduced after G-CSF treatment. Also, some of the cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., atrioventricular block type 1 and 2) after CO poisoning were suppressed after G-CSF treatment. However, G-CSF did not show protective effects on cardiomyocyte pathological consequences in CO-poisoned rats. Therefore, G-CSF could protect against ECG changes after CO-induced cardiac ischemia, but did not affect pathological changes.