TNF-alpha inhibitor adalimumab attenuates endotoxin induced cardiac damage in rats

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of adalimumab pretreatment on the lipopolysaccharide-mediated myocardial injury. METHODS: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomized into four groups (n=7). Control (C) group animals were injected once a day with intraperitoneal (i.p) 0.9 % saline for two days. In the Adalimumab (Ada) group, adalimumab was injected at a dose of 10 mg/kg/ day (i.p) for two days. Lipopolysaccharide (Lps) group rats were injected with a dose of 5 mg/kg (i.p) lipopolysaccharide. Lipopolysaccharide + Adalimumab (Lps+Ada) group rats received adalimumab before the administration of lipopolysaccharide. The animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last injection and blood samples were obtained for determination of biochemical cardiac injury markers and circulating levels of TNF-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Hearts were harvested for histological examination. RESULTS: Endotoxin exposure resulted in significant increases in serum cardiac injury markers, serum cytokines and histological myocardial injury scores in the Lps group. The levels of circulating cytokines, cardiac injury markers and histological injury scores for myocardial necrosis, perivascular cell infiltration, and inflammation were significantly reduced in Lps+Ada as compared to Lps group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Adalimumab pretreatment reduces endotoxin-induced myocardial damage in rats. This beneficial effect is thought to be related to the reduction of cytokine release.