Inflammatory response to cold injury in remote organs is reduced by corticotropin-releasing factor

Current experimental evidence concerning the potential activity of corticot ropin releasing factor (CRF) in inflammatory processes still remains contro versial. To determine whether CRF has protective effects: on three remote o rgans (liver, lung and stomach) affected by cold injury and to characterize the role of neutrophils in cold-induced inflammation, dorsums of anestheti zed rats were exposed for 5 min to a 22% NaCl solution maintained at -20 +/ - 0.5 degreesC and the rats were sacrificed at 24 h after the cold injury. The results indicate that cold-exposure-induced edema in the liver, lung an d stomach was: blocked by subcutaneous: (s.e.; 1.2 and 12 nmol/kg; 30 min b efore cold trauma) CRF pretreatment, while the central administration of CR F (intracisternally (i.e.); 0.30 and 1.5 nmol/rat; 15 min before cold) had the similar effect at the higher dose. Histological assessment and the tiss ue myeloperoxidase activities: also revealed that CRF given peripherally ha s: a protective role in damage generation. Moreover, CRF had a facilitatory effect in the recovery of the body temperature following cold exposure. In conclusion, CRF is likely to act on its peripheral receptors in the inflam ed remote organs, suppressing the edematogenic effects of inflammatory medi ators, some of which are neutrophil-derived. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.