The Effect of Sevoflurane on Ciliary Motility in Rat Cultured Tracheal Epithelial Cells: A Comparison with Isoflurane and Halothane

• Published in: Anesthesia and analgesia Vol. 102; no. 6; pp. 1703 - 1708
• Main Authors: Matsuura, Shogo, Shirakami, Gotaro, Iida, Hiroko, Tanimoto, Keiji, Fukuda, Kazuhiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD International Anesthesia Research Society 01.06.2006; Lippincott
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthetics, Inhalation - pharmacology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Cilia - drug effects; Cilia - physiology; Depression, Chemical; Epithelial Cells - cytology; Halothane - pharmacology; Isoflurane - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Methyl Ethers - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Trachea - cytology; Volatile compound; Cell culture; Motility; Rat; Rodentia; Halothane; Isoflurane; Sevoflurane; Vertebrata; Mammalia; General anesthetic; Animal; Anesthesia; Epithelial cell; Comparative study; Halogen Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0003-2999; 1526-7598
• DOI: 10.1213/01.ane.0000216001.36932.a3

Halothane and isoflurane potently depress airway ciliary motility. We compared the effect of sevoflurane on ciliary beat frequency (CBF) with that of halothane and isoflurane using purified and cultured rat tracheal epithelial cells. Rat tracheal epithelial cells were isolated from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to establish an air-liquid interface culture. Apical surfaces of the cells were exposed to a fresh gas containing humidified and warmed (25°C) air (vehicle) with or without sevoflurane (0%–4%), halothane (0%–2%), or isoflurane (0%–2%). The images of motile cilia were videotaped and CBF was analyzed using a computer. Baseline CBF (= 100%) and CBF 30 min after the exposure were measured. CBF 30 min after vehicle exposure was 101% ± 4% (mean ± sd). Exposures to 0.25%–2% sevoflurane did not change CBF significantly, although exposures to 0.25%–2% halothane or isoflurane decreased CBF dose-dependently. CBFs 30 min after exposures to 2% of sevoflurane, halothane, and isoflurane were 97% ± 9%, 56% ± 14%, and 47% ± 6%, respectively (n = 5 each). Sevoflurane 4% reduced CBF significantly but slightly (84% ± 2%, n = 5). These results show that sevoflurane has a direct cilioinhibitory action but its action is much weaker than that of halothane and isoflurane in isolated rat tracheal epithelial cells.