Objective Resuscitation with 100% compared with 21% oxygen increases inflammatory responses in the lungs and the brain. We have previously shown that the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is elevated in adult hypoxic mice resuscitated with 100% oxygen.

Methods Seven-day-old transgenic mice expressing luciferase as a reporter of NF-κB activity were divided into two groups either injected or not with nicotine subcutaneously, 2.4 mg/kg of nicotine base dissolved in 0.9% saline. They were then exposed to 40 minutes FiO₂ of 0.08. Random selection was carried out both to compare 30-minute resuscitation with either room air or 100% oxygen and also to study any effects of nicotine. Light produced by the luciferase reaction, which reflects NF-κB activity, was detected by the IVIS imaging system 100 series. The whole body and the brain area were measured and NF-κB activity at maximal velocity of the reaction is reported.

Results There were no effects of nicotine on the groups. There were no differences in NF-κB activity either in the whole body or the brain area in animals resuscitated with 21% or 100% oxygen.

Conclusion Nicotine in the doses used in this study had no effect on NF-κB activity. By contrast to previous studies with adult mice in which NF-κB was significantly elevated after resuscitation with 100% compared with 21% oxygen, no difference between the groups was found in the present study.