Effects of Shen-Fu Injection on the Expression of T-Cell-Specific Transcription Factors T-bet/Gata-3 in Porcine Postresuscitation Lung Injury

Shen-Fu injection (SFI) derived from the ancient traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the effects of SFI on the expression of T-bet/GATA-3 and its potential mechanisms causing the shift of T cells from Th2 to Th1 on postresuscitation lung injury were examined in a porcine model of cardiac arrest. 30 pigs were randomly divided into SHAM(n = 6) and three return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) groups (n = 8 per group); 24 pigs were subjected to 8 min of electrically induced cardiac arrest and 2 min of basic life support, which received central venous injection of Shen-Fu (SFI), epinephrine (EP) or saline (SA). After successful ROSC, 18 surviving pigs were sacrificed at 24 h after ROSC (n = 6 per group). The levels of serum and lung tissue interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-gamma were measured by ELISA, and the protein and mRNA levels of GATA-3 and T-bet in the lung tissue were determined by western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Compared with the EP and SA groups, SFI treatment reduced the levels of IL-4 (P < 0.05), increased levels of IFN-gamma (P < 0.05), and induced T-bet mRNA upregulation and GATA-3 mRNA downregulation (P < 0.05). SFI attenuated lung injury and regulated lung immune disorders. Therefore, SFI could protect postresuscitation lung injury by modulating a Th1/Th2 imbalance.