2. Academic Validation
  3. Suppressive effect of the anesthetic propofol on the T cell function and T cell-dependent immune responses

Suppressive effect of the anesthetic propofol on the T cell function and T cell-dependent immune responses

  • Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 20;14(1):19337. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-69987-z.
Waichi Yamamoto 1 2,  Taisuke Hamada 1 2,  Junpei Suzuki 2,  Yuko Matsuoka 3,  Miyuki Omori-Miyake 4,  Makoto Kuwahara 2,  Akira Matsumoto 2,  Shunsuke Nomura 5,  Amane Konishi 1,  Toshihiro Yorozuya 1,  Masakatsu Yamashita 6 7 8 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
  • 2 Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
  • 3 Translational Research Center, Ehime University Hospital, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
  • 4 Department of Infections and Host Defenses, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
  • 5 Department of Immuno-Drug Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
  • 6 Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan. yamamasa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp.
  • 7 Translational Research Center, Ehime University Hospital, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan. yamamasa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp.
  • 8 Department of Infections and Host Defenses, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan. yamamasa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp.
  • 9 Department of Immuno-Drug Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa 454, Toon City, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan. yamamasa@m.ehime-u.ac.jp.
PMID: 39164311 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69987-z
Abstract

General anesthesia is thought to suppress the immune system and negatively affect postoperative Infection and the long-term prognosis of Cancer. However, the mechanism underlying immunosuppression induced by general anesthetics remains unclear. In this study, we focused on propofol, which is widely used for sedation under general anesthesia and intensive care and examined its effects on the T cell function and T cell-dependent immune responses. We found that propofol suppressed T cell glycolytic metabolism, differentiation into effector T cells, and cytokine production by effector T cells. CD8 T cells activated and differentiated into effector cells in the presence of propofol in vitro showed reduced antitumor activity. Furthermore, propofol treatment suppressed the increase in the number of antigen-specific CD8 T cells during Listeria Infection. In contrast, the administration of propofol improved inflammatory conditions in mouse models of inflammatory diseases, such as OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation, hapten-induced contact dermatitis, and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. These results suggest that propofol may reduce tumor and infectious immunity by suppressing the T cell function and T cell-dependent immune responses while improving the pathogenesis and prognosis of chronic inflammatory diseases by suppressing inflammation.

Keywords

Antitumor immunity; Cytokine; Inflammation; Propofol; T cell.

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