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Intravenous hypertonic saline solution reduces inflammation by shrinking cells. |
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EurekAlert: The researchers injected solutions with low ions into mice. They found that these solutions acted as a danger signal, causing cells to swell. The swelling then activates a group of proteins called NLRP3 which then release inflammatory mediators. These activate neighbouring cells to increase inflammation. However, when a hypertonic solution was administered to the mouse it drew the water out of the cells shrinking them back to their original size. This in turn deactivated the signal for inflammation.
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