Effect of rapamycin on early stage apoptosis of neutrophils in Sprague-Dawley rats with acute lung injury.

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious complication characterized by the acute onset of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema following transfusion of blood products. It is not known whether rapamycin has an effect on TRALI that is caused by blood transfusion. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of rapamycin on early stage apoptosis of neutrophils in Sprague-Dawley rats with acute lung injury. Animal models of TRALI and acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury (APALI) were prepared using Sprague-Dawley rats and histopathological examination of lung tissues was used to validate acute lung injury models. Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated and early stage apoptosis of neutrophils was detected by flow cytometry. The animal models of TRALI and APALI were constructed successfully. Early stage apoptosis of neutrophils increased in the TRALI group and decreased in the APALI group (P<0.05), while the apoptosis rates in rapamycin intervention TRALI and APALI groups were not significantly different compared to the rate in the control group (P>0.05). In conclusion, early stage apoptosis of neutrophils in TRALI was different from that in APALI, and rapamycin had a limited protective effect on TRALI and APALI in Sprague-Dawley rats.