The influence of the vagus nerve on postoperative immune suppression

• Applicant: Dr. Pia Menges
• Subject Area: General and Visceral Surgery
• Term: from 2013 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 233978225

Surgical procedures have influence on the immune function and can induce immune suppression. This immune dysfunction may trigger dangerous complications i.e. infectious disease in the postoperative period. We characterised a murine model of postoperative immune dysfunction that enables further analyses: the model of SID (Surgically-induced Immune Dysfunction). From what we know today, the vagus nerve has significant influence on the immune function. In this context the spleen plays an important role by release of cytokines. In our studies we were able to describe a protective role of the vagus nerve in a murine inflammatory sepsis model (CASP, Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis).First experiments provide evidence for a major role of the vagus nerve in the postoperative immune suppression: vagotomy in the SID model is followed by increased mortality during the postoperative immune dysfunction. The present study is designed to analyse the interaction between vagus nerve and postoperative immune suppression. Following our hypothesis, the immune dysfunction is influenced by the vagus nerve in the spleen. Therefore, we plan to analyse the role of the spleen, its cell population and the released cytokines. These results will contribute to the development of therapeutical or especially prophylactic strategies to cope with this severe clinical problem of postoperative immune suppression.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants