Azilsartan attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe complication of sepsis and hemorrhagic shock with high morbidity. In the present study, the protective effect of Azilsartan on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in mice was investigated to explore the potential therapeutic property of Azilsartan for the treatment of ALI. LPS was used to induce an ALI model in mice. Hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining sections were then evaluated for the pathological state of lung tissues. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein concentration, wet/dry weight ratios of lung tissues, and pulmonary myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were detected to determine the degree of pulmonary injury. The number of total cells, macrophages, and neutrophils in BALF were counted using a hemocytometer to illustrate the inflammatory cell infiltration. The lung function was monitored using a spirometer. The concentrations of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Oxidative stress was evaluated by the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in the lung tissue. The expressions of nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined using Western blot analysis. Azilsartan therapy alleviated LPS-induced lung tissue damage, increased BALF protein concentration, lung wet to dry weight ratio, MPO activity, and macrophage and neutrophils infiltration. Also, Azilsartan ameliorated the production of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, MCP-1, and IL-8). Azilsartan ameliorated LPS-impaired lung SOD activity, the GSH concentration, and the MDA concentration. Mechanistically, Azilsartan activated the LPS-impaired Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Azilsartan therapy attenuates LPS-induced ALI via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

     

藤黄酸减轻脂多糖诱导的小鼠急性肺损伤

目的探讨藤黄酸(GA)对脂多糖(LPS)所致小鼠急性肺损伤的保护作用及其机制。方法采用尾静脉注射LPS(4 mg/kg)建立小鼠急性肺损伤模型。实验将小鼠随机分为对照组(control组)、模型组(model组)、藤黄酸组(GA组)和藤黄酸预处理组(GA+LPS组),6 h后测定肺湿/干重比值(W/D);检测髓过氧化物酶(MPO)活性;检测肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中蛋白含量和白细胞计数;ELISA检测肺匀浆中白介素-1β(IL-1β)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)含量。结果模型组小鼠肺W/D、MPO活性、BALF中蛋白含量和白细胞数量均增加,肺组织IL-1β和TNF-α水平升高(均P0.01);藤黄酸预处理可减轻LPS引起的以上指标变化(均P0.05)。结论 GA可减轻LPS诱导的急性肺损伤,其机制可能与降低肺组织IL-1β和TNF-α的含量、抑制中性粒细胞在肺部的聚集和减轻肺部水肿相关。     

Protocatechuic acid attenuates lipolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is a major metabolite of anthocyanins. It has numerous pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumoral activities. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo protective effect of PCA on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. We treated mice with PCA 1 h before the intratracheal (i.n.) administration of LPS. The pulmonary injury severity was evaluated 6 h after LPS administration. We found that pretreatment with a 30 mg/kg of PCA markedly attenuated the LPS-induced histological alterations in the lung. In addition, PCA inhibited the production of several inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and IL-6, at 6 h in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after LPS challenge. Furthermore, PCA significantly reduced the number of total cells, neutrophils, and macrophages in the BALF, and it significantly decreased the wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio of lungs and the protein concentration in the BALF. Additionally, Western blotting showed that PCA efficiently blunted nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation by inhibiting the degradation and phosphorylation of IκBα, as well as the translocation of p65 from cytoplasm to the nucleus. In conclusion, these results indicate that PCA was highly effective in inhibiting acute lung injury (ALI) and may be a promising potential therapeutic reagent for ALI treatment. PCA may utilize the NF-κB pathway to attenuate the nonspecific pulmonary inflammation induced by LPS administration.     

白藜芦醇通过激活SGK1上调急性肺损伤小鼠肺泡上皮钠离子通道的表达

目的探讨白藜芦醇(resveratrol)对急性肺损伤(ALI)小鼠肺泡上皮钠离子通道(ENaC)的作用及可能机制。方法将小鼠随机分为对照(control)组、LPS组、RES组和PP242组,每组6只。苏木精-伊红(HE)染色观察肺组织病理;BCA法测肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中蛋白含量,酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)检测炎性因子水平;流式细胞计量术检测BALF中性粒细胞比例;Western blot检测肺组织α-ENaC蛋白表达和SGK1磷酸化水平,实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)检测肺组织α-ENaC mRNA转录水平。结果 1)与对照组相比,LPS组肺组织损伤明显,BALF中性粒细胞比例、蛋白含量和炎性因子水平明显升高(P0.05),肺组织α-ENaC表达和SGK1磷酸化水平显著下调(P0.05);2)与LPS组相比,RES组肺损伤明显减轻,BALF中性粒细胞比例、蛋白含量和炎性因子水平明显降低(P0.05),伴α-ENaC表达和SGK1磷酸化水平显著上调(P0.05);3)与RES组相比,PP242组肺损伤明显加重,BALF中性粒细胞比例、蛋白含量和炎性因子水平明显升高(P0.05),同时伴α-ENaC表达和SGK1磷酸化水平显著下调(P0.05)。结论 SGK1介导的α-ENaC上调机制参与了RES对ALI的保护作用。     

Modulation of LPS-Stimulated Pulmonary Inflammation by Borneol in Murine Acute Lung Injury Model

The object of our study is to investigate the protective effects of Borneol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. To determine the effects of Borneol on the histopathological changes in mice with ALI, inflammatory cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung wet/dry weight ratio were measured in LPS-challenged mice, and lung histopathologic changes observed via paraffin section were assessed. Next, cytokine production induced by LPS in BALF and RAW 264.7 cells was measured by enzyme-linked imunosorbent assay (ELISA). To further study the mechanism of Borneol-protective effects on ALI, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathways were investigated. In the present study, Borneol obviously alleviated pulmonary inflammation by reducing inflammatory infiltration, histopathological changes, descended cytokine production, and pulmonary edema initiated by LPS. Furthermore, Borneol significantly suppressed phosphorylation of NF-κB/P65, IκBa, p38, JNK, and ERK. Taken together, our results suggest that Borneol suppressed inflammatory responses in LPS-induced acute lung injury through inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways. Borneol may be a promising potential preventive agent for acute lung injury treatment.     

Preventive Effects of Valnemulin on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Valnemulin reportedly regulates inflammatory responses in addition to its in vitro antibacterial activity. In this study, we established a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory lung injury and investigated the effect of valnemulin (100 mg/kg) on acute lung injury (ALI) 8 h after LPS challenge. We prepared bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for measuring protein concentrations, cytokine levels, and superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity, and collected lungs for assaying wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratios, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, cytokine mRNA expression, and histological change. We found that the pre-administration of valnemulin significantly decreases the W/D ratio of lungs, protein concentrations, and the number of total cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and leukomonocytes, and histologic analysis indicates that valnemulin significantly attenuates tissue injury. Furthermore, valnemulin significantly increases LPS-induced SOD activity in BALF and decreases lung MPO activity as well. In addition, valnemulin also inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, which is consistent with mRNA expression in lung. The results showed that valnemulin had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice.     

Suppression of MAPK and NF-κB Pathways by Limonene Contributes to Attenuation of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Acute Lung Injury

The present study aimed to investigate the protective role of limonene in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). ALI was induced in mice by intratracheal instillation of LPS (0.5 mg/kg), and limonene (25, 50, and 75 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 1 h prior to LPS administration. After 12 h, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected. Limonene pretreatment at doses of 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg decreased LPS-induced evident lung histopathological changes, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, and lung myeloperoxidase activity. In addition, pretreatment with limonene inhibited inflammatory cells and proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 in BALF. Furthermore, we demonstrated that limonene blocked the phosphorylation of IκBα, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase in LPS-induced ALI. The results presented here suggest that the protective mechanism of limonene may be attributed partly to decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines through the inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK activation.     

亚精胺减轻脂多糖诱导的小鼠急性肺损伤

目的　观察亚精胺（spermidine）对脂多糖（LPS）诱导的急性肺损伤（ALI）的影响。 方法　采用5 mg/kg的LPS经气管滴注,建立ALI小鼠模型。用小动物呼吸机检测亚精胺对ALI小鼠呼吸功能的影响;观察亚精胺对ALI小鼠肺组织形态变化的影响;检测ALI小鼠支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中总蛋白、总细胞数及中性粒细胞数目,并检测髓过氧化物酶（MPO）的水平;qPCR检测ALI小鼠肺组织中TREM-1 mRNA的表达;ELISA检测ALI小鼠BALF中sTREM-1的蛋白水平。 结果　亚精胺可改善ALI小鼠的呼吸功能;减轻LPS诱导的肺部病理损伤;减少蛋白渗出和中性粒细胞浸润;降低ALI小鼠肺内炎症放大受体TREM-1的表达。 结论　亚精胺能减少炎症细胞浸润,抑制炎症因子表达,从而减轻LPS诱导的ALI,其机制可能与亚精胺可抑制ALI小鼠肺组织TREM-1表达有关。     

亚精胺减轻脂多糖诱导的小鼠急性肺损伤

目的　观察亚精胺（spermidine）对脂多糖（LPS）诱导的急性肺损伤（ALI）的影响。 方法　采用5 mg/kg的LPS经气管滴注,建立ALI小鼠模型。用小动物呼吸机检测亚精胺对ALI小鼠呼吸功能的影响;观察亚精胺对ALI小鼠肺组织形态变化的影响;检测ALI小鼠支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）中总蛋白、总细胞数及中性粒细胞数目,并检测髓过氧化物酶（MPO）的水平;qPCR检测ALI小鼠肺组织中TREM-1 mRNA的表达;ELISA检测ALI小鼠BALF中sTREM-1的蛋白水平。 结果　亚精胺可改善ALI小鼠的呼吸功能;减轻LPS诱导的肺部病理损伤;减少蛋白渗出和中性粒细胞浸润;降低ALI小鼠肺内炎症放大受体TREM-1的表达。 结论　亚精胺能减少炎症细胞浸润,抑制炎症因子表达,从而减轻LPS诱导的ALI,其机制可能与亚精胺可抑制ALI小鼠肺组织TREM-1表达有关。     

Propofol pretreatment attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats by activating the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt pathway

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of propofol pretreatment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and the role of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway in this procedure. Survival was determined 48 h after LPS injection. At 1 h after LPS challenge, the lung wet- to dry-weight ratio was examined, and concentrations of protein, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined using the bicinchoninic acid method or ELISA. Lung injury was assayed via lung histological examination. PI3K and p-Akt expression levels in the lung tissue were determined by Western blotting. Propofol pretreatment prolonged survival, decreased the concentrations of protein, TNF-α, and IL-6 in BALF, attenuated ALI, and increased PI3K and p-Akt expression in the lung tissue of LPS-challenged rats, whereas treatment with wortmannin, a PI3K/Akt pathway specific inhibitor, blunted this effect. Our study indicates that propofol pretreatment attenuated LPS-induced ALI, partly by activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.     

Fisetin Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via TLR4-Mediated NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Rats

Acute lung injury (ALI), a common component of systemic inflammatory disease, is a life-threatening condition without many effective treatments. Fisetin, a natural flavonoid from fruits and vegetables, was reported to have wide pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. The aim of this study was to detect the effects of fisetin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury and investigate the potential mechanism. Fisetin was injected (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg, i.v.) 30 min before LPS administration (5 mg/kg, i.v.). Our results showed that fisetin effectively reduced the inflammatory cytokine release and total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF), decreased the lung wet/dry ratios, and obviously improved the pulmonary histology in LPS-induced ALI. Furthermore, fisetin inhibited LPS-induced increases of neutrophils and macrophage infiltration and attenuated MPO activity in lung tissues. Additionally, fisetin could significantly inhibit the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression and the activation of NF-κB in lung tissues. Our data indicates that fisetin has a protective effect against LPS-induced ALI via suppression of TLR4-mediated NF-κB signaling pathways, and fisetin may be a promising candidate for LPS-induced ALI treatment.     

TNFR-Fc减轻LPS所致小鼠ALI炎症反应损伤

目的: 评价肿瘤坏死因子受体-Fc融合蛋白(TNFR-Fc)能否有效下调炎症反应而减轻急性肺损伤(ALI)小鼠的肺组织破坏。方法: 小鼠随机分为脂多糖(LPS)组、TNFR-Fc+LPS组和对照组。气管内滴入LPS复制ALI小鼠模型,TNFR-Fc组在滴入LPS前24 h腹膜腔注射TNFR-Fc (0.4 mg/kg),在滴入LPS后2 h收集标本,检测肺湿/干重、肺泡蛋白含量与肺组织病理评分;ELISA法检测血清TNF-α浓度及检测肺泡灌洗液与血清IL-1β、IL-6、IL-10与IFN-γ浓度。结果: TNFR-Fc显著降低血清TNF-α浓度(P＜0.05),轻度降低肺湿/干重比例,显著降低BALF蛋白浓度(P＜0.05),显著降低ALI评分数值(P＜0.05)。TNFR-Fc显著降低致炎症细胞因子IL-6在BALF(P＜0.05)与血清(P＜0.05)中的浓度,轻度提高BALF中IL-10浓度(P＞0.05),但其差异不显著,亦能显著提高血清IL-10浓度(P＜0.05)。IL-1β与IFN-γ水平处理前后变化不显著。结论: TNFR-Fc中和ALI中过度表达的TNF-α,下调以IL-6为代表的炎症反应,减轻ALI的肺组织破坏。     

中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网在新生大鼠急性肺损伤中的作用

目的:探讨中性粒细胞胞外诱捕网(NETs)在新生大鼠急性肺损伤(ALI)中的作用。方法:取出生7 d的SD大鼠30只,按照随机数字表法分成生理盐水对照组、ALI组及ALI+脱氧核糖核酸酶(Dnase)组,每组10只。ALI组用脂多糖(LPS)以20 mg/kg的剂量腹腔注射,ALI+Dnase组则在注射LPS后即腹腔注射Dnase(5 mg/kg)。给药6 h后,水合氯醛麻醉大鼠,收集支气管肺泡灌洗液(BALF),荧光酶标仪检测BALF中游离DNA(cf-DNA)的含量;右肺组织固定于4%多聚甲醛中,HE染色观察各组大鼠肺组织形态结构;左肺组织制备肺组织匀浆,酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法检测肺组织匀浆中白细胞介素6(IL-6)及肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)的含量;使用免疫荧光法与Western blot检测各组大鼠肺组织中瓜氨酸化组蛋白H3(CitH3)及髓过氧化物酶(MPO)的生成情况。结果:与对照组相比,ALI组与ALI+Dnase组中cf-DNA、CitH3、MPO、IL-6及TNF-α水平均升高(P<0.05),肺组织中炎性细胞浸润严重;与ALI组相比,ALI+Dnase组新生大鼠肺组织中cf-DNA、Cith3、MPO、IL-6及TNF-α水平降低(P<0.05),ALI+Dnase组炎症浸润程度降低。结论:新生大鼠ALI中,NETs水平为反映肺组织损伤的重要指标,NETs可能为治疗新生儿ALI的新靶点。     

Protective effect of gossypol on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice

Objective

Gossypol has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gossypol on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.

Methods

Male BALB/c mice were pretreated with gossypol 1 h before intranasal instillation of LPS. Then, 7 h after LPS administration, the myeloperoxidase in histology of lungs, lung wet/dry ratio and inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the BALF were measured by ELISA. The extent of phosphorylation of IκB-α, p65 NF-κB, p46–p54 JNK, p42–p44 ERK, and p38 were detected by western blot.

Results

Gossypol markedly attenuated the LPS-induced histological alterations in the lung and inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Additionally, gossypol reduced the inflammatory cells in BALF, decreased the wet/dry ratio of lungs and inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB-α, p65 NF-κB, p46–p54 JNK, p42–p44 ERK, and p38 caused by LPS.

Conclusion

The data suggest that anti-inflammatory effects of gossypol against the LPS-induced ALI may be due to its ability of inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPKs signaling pathways. Gossypol may be a promising potential therapeutic reagent for ALI treatment.     

Cavidine Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury <Emphasis Type="Italic">via</Emphasis> NF-κB Signaling Pathway <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by widespread inflammation in the lungs and alveolar-capillary destruction, causing high morbidity and mortality. Cavidine, isolated from Corydalis impatiens, have been exhibited to have potent anti-inflammatory effects in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of cavidine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and to enunciate the underlying in vivo and in vitro mechanisms. Mice were intraperitoneally administrated with cavidine (1, 3, or 10 mg/kg) at 1 and 12 h, prior to the induction of ALI by intranasal administration of LPS (30 mg/kg). Blood samples, lung tissues, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were harvested after LPS challenge. Furthermore, we used LPS-induced lung epithelial cells A549 to examine the mechanism of cavidine to lung injury. The results showed that pretreatment with cavidine significantly decreased lung wet-to-dry weight (W/D) ratio, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels including TNF-α and IL-6 in BALF and serum from LPS-stimulated mice, and attenuated lung histopathological changes. In addition, western blot results showed that cavidine inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) p65 and IκBα induced by LPS. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that cavidine protects against LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice via inhibiting of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and IL-6 production and NF-κB signaling pathway activation. Taken together, cavidine may be useful for the prevention and treatment of pulmonary inflammatory diseases, such as ALI.     

Galantamine protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia triggers the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and can cause acute lung injury (ALI). The high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein plays an important role as a late mediator of sepsis and ALI. Galantamine (GAL) is a central acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that inhibits the expression of HMGB1. This study evaluated the effects of GAL by measuring levels of inflammatory mediators and observing histopathological features associated with LPS-induced ALI. Sixty 8-10 week old male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-240 g) were randomized into three groups as follows: control group, LPS group (7.5 mg/kg LPS), and LPS+GAL group (5 mg/kg GAL before LPS administration). Histopathological examination of lung specimens obtained 12 h after LPS administration was performed to analyze changes in wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and HMGB1 expression level. Additionally, plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and HMGB1 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 0 (baseline), 3, 6, 9, and 12 h after LPS administration. Mortality in the three groups was recorded at 72 h. LPS-induced ALI was characterized by distortion of pulmonary architecture and elevation of MPO activity, W/D weight ratio, and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and HMGB1. Pretreatment with GAL significantly reduced the LPS-induced lung pathological changes, W/D weight ratio, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and MPO activity (ANOVA). Moreover, GAL treatment significantly decreased the mortality rate (ANOVA). In conclusion, we demonstrated that GAL exerted a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in rats.     

黑木耳多糖对内毒素诱导急性肺损伤大鼠肺组织的保护作用

目的:探讨黑木耳多糖对LPS诱导急性肺损伤大鼠肺组织的保护作用及其机制。方法:将健康SD大鼠随机分为对照组、LPS组、地塞米松组以及黑木耳多糖低、中、高浓度组,根据分组,分别给予生理盐水或不同浓度黑木耳多糖预防性灌胃7 d,第8天腹腔注射生理盐水或LPS(8 mg/kg),地塞米松组在给予LPS后腹腔注射地塞米松(3 mg/kg)。造模12 h后于腹主动脉取血,并制肺组织匀浆和肺泡灌洗液。检测支气管肺泡灌洗液中蛋白含量、肺湿/干重比、髓过氧化物酶(MPO)、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)、总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、一氧化氮合酶(NOS)、丙二醛(MDA)等指标,做组织切片HE染色并进行肺损伤评分。结果:应用黑木耳多糖干预后,急性肺损伤大鼠支气管肺泡灌洗液中蛋白含量明显下降,肺湿/干重比值降低;大鼠肺组织中MPO、NOS活性及MDA含量较LPS组降低,T-AOC含量和T-SOD活性较之升高;肺组织病理改变减轻,肺损伤指数下降。结论:黑木耳多糖具有保护LPS损伤大鼠肺组织的作用,其机制可能与其抗氧化作用有关。     

NPS 2143, a selective calcium-sensing receptor antagonist inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary inflammation

NPS 2143, a novel and selective antagonist of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory activity. In the present study, we examined the protective effect of NPS 2143 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). NPS 2143 pretreatment significantly inhibited the influx of inflammatory cells and the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the lung of mice with LPS-induced ALI. NPS 2143 decreased the levels of neutrophil elastase (NE) and protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). NPS 2143 also reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the BALF and serum. In addition, NPS 2143 attenuated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and increased the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the lung. NPS 2143 also downregulated the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in the lung. In LPS-stimulated H292 airway epithelial cells, NPS 2143 attenuated the releases of IL-6 and MCP-1. Furthermore, NPS 2143 upregulated the activation of AMPK and downregulated the activation of NF-κB. These results suggest that NPS 2143 could be potential agent for the treatment of inflammatory diseases including ALI.     

Quercetin protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in rats through suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress

Introduction

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an acute inflammatory disease characterized by excess production of inflammatory factors in lung tissue. Quercetin, a herbal flavonoid, exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. This study was performed to assess the effects of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI.

Material and methods

Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group (saline alone), the LPS group challenged with LPS (Escherichia coli 026:B6; 100 µg/kg), and the quercetin group pretreated with quercetin (50 mg/kg, by gavage) 1 h before LPS challenge. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples and lung tissues were collected 6 h after LPS administration. Histopathological and biochemical parameters were measured.

Results

The LPS treatment led to increased alveolar wall thickening and cellular infiltration in the lung, which was markedly prevented by quercetin pretreatment. Moreover, quercetin significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated the increase in the BALF protein level and neutrophil count and lung wet/dry weight ratio and myeloperoxidase activity in LPS-challenged rats. The LPS exposure evoked a 4- to 5-fold rise in BALF levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, which was significantly (p < 0.05) counteracted by quercetin pretreatment. Additionally, quercetin significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed the malondialdehyde level and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the lung of LPS-treated rats.

Conclusions

Quercetin pretreatment effectively ameliorates LPS-induced ALI, largely through suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress, and may thus have therapeutic potential in the prevention of this disease.     

Protective Effect of Isorhamnetin on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Isorhamnetin has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-proliferative effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of isorhamnetin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice by inhibiting the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The effects of isorhamnetin on LPS-induced lung pathological damage, wet/dry ratios and the total protein level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), inflammatory cytokine release, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were examined. In addition, the COX-2 activation in lung tissues was detected by Western blot. Isorhamnetin pretreatment improved the mice survival rates. Moreover, isorhamnetin pretreatment significantly attenuated edema and the pathological changes in the lung and inhibited protein extravasation in BALF. Isorhamnetin also significantly decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF. In addition, isorhamnetin markedly prevented LPS-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, isorhamnetin pretreatment significantly suppressed LPS-induced activation of COX-2. Isorhamnetin has been demonstrated to protect mice from LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting the expression of COX-2.