Attenuation of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by treatment with IL-10

Background and objective:   The aim of this study was to characterize the changes in neutrophils and cytokines in BAL fluid following acute lung injury (ALI), and to determine the protective effect of post-injury treatment with IL-10.
Methods:   A rat model of ALI was established by evenly spraying LPS (16 mg/kg) into the lungs followed by observation for 48 h. Histological changes and the kinetics of neutrophil infiltration were evaluated in the injured lungs. The cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and interferon-γ) and macrophage-inflammatory protein (MIP-2) were measured in BAL fluid by ELISA. The activation of BAL fluid neutrophils was investigated after treatment with IL-10 in vitro . The protective effect on histology and MIP-2 levels of intra-tracheal instillation of IL-10 12 and 16 h after LPS treatment was studied in vivo.
Results:   Intra-tracheal instillation of LPS caused significant lung injury and the activation of neutrophils. The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in BAL fluid peaked at 8 and 16 h after LPS instillation respectively. IL-10 levels reached a maximum at 16–24 h, at the beginning of resolution of tissue injury. IL-10 inhibited the activation of neutrophils in vitro and MIP-2 induction in vivo . IL-10 had a protective effect if it was administered 12 but not 16 h after LPS.
Conclusions:   Neutrophils appeared to play an important role in ALI. Time-dependent treatment with IL-10 after intra-tracheal instillation of LPS was effective in protecting rats from ALI, probably by suppressing pulmonary infiltration with activated neutrophils.