Effects of propofol on the leukocyte nitric oxide pathway: in vitro and ex vivo studies in surgical patients.

This study was designed to evaluate the mechanism by which propofol modifies leukocyte production of nitric oxide (NO) in humans. In vitro experiments used whole blood from healthy volunteers (n = 10 samples/experiment). Ex vivo experiments studied the effects of an intravenous dose of 2.5 mg propofol per kilogram body weight followed by intravenous infusion of 4 mg kg(-1) h(-1) in surgical patients in ASA class I or II (n = 20). In whole blood, neutrophils and plasma, we measured NO production and the activities of the enzymes nitric oxide synthase [inducible (iNOS) and constitutive (cNOS)] and cyclooxygenase [constitutive (COX-1) and inducible (COX-2)]. Concentrations of interleukins (IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) were measured in plasma. In blood from healthy donors, propofol increased NO production and cNOS activity. The concentration of propofol that increased NO production by 50% (EC(50)) was 23.5 microM, and the EC(50) of propofol for cNOS was 18.6 microM. In blood from surgical patients, propofol increased NO production by 52% and cNOS activity by 57%. Propofol inhibited iNOS activity in vitro; the concentration that reduced activity by 50% (IC(50)) was 19.9 microM. In surgical patients propofol inhibited iNOS activity by 53%. COX-1 and COX-2 activities were inhibited in vitro (IC(50) 32.6 and 187 microM, respectively) and in surgical patients (53 and 81% inhibition, respectively). Plasma concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNFalpha were significantly reduced in surgical patients (32, 23, and 21% inhibition, respectively). None of these parameters were modified in a group of patients (n = 10) anesthetized with sevoflurane. We conclude that propofol stimulated constitutive NO production and inhibited inducible NO production, possibly by curtailing the stimulation of iNOS by inflammatory mediators in surgical patients.