HYPERTONIC SALINE RESUSCITATION - A TOOL TO MODULATE IMMUNE FUNCTION IN TRAUMA PATIENTS

Hypertonic saline (HS) resuscitation has recently gained attention fro m trauma physicians because it may benefit the immune system of trauma patients. We have found that HS augments in vitro and in vivo immune function of healthy T-cells. In addition HS restored the function of s uppressed T-cells in vitro and in vivo and reduced immunosuppression a fter hemorrhage, protecting mice from subsequent sepsis. These effects of HS are based on its direct influence on cellular signaling events through specific signaling pathway(s) that include protein tyrosine ki nase and mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 activation. HS provides a costimulatory signal that enhances the proliferation of activated T- cells. HS may be able to substitute signals lost through blockage as a result of trauma induced suppressive factors, thereby restoring the f unction of suppressed T-cells. Although further work is needed to dete rmine the optimal conditions and possible risks of HS resuscitation, t he data presented in this short review of our recent work shed a favor able light on HS as a simple but effective toot to modulate cellular i mmune function after trauma.