Preventive effects of curcumin and dexamethasone on lung transplantation-associated lung injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate potential effects of curcumin or dexamethasone on lung transplantation-associated lung injury.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, controlled study.


METHODS
Research laboratory.


METHODS
Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.


METHODS
Sham-operated rats were used as time-matched controls. Experimental rats were subjected to unilateral orthotopic lung transplantation with 4 hrs of cold ischemia followed by 2 hrs (or 24 hrs) of reperfusion. Animals were randomly assigned to vehicle-, curcumin-, or dexamethasone-treated groups.


RESULTS
Transplantation-associated lung injury was characterized by an increased alveolar-capillary permeability and myeloperoxidase activity and decreased levels of arterial oxygen tension/inspired oxygen concentration ratio. Pretreatment with curcumin and dexamethasone significantly prevented barrier disruption, lung edema, tissue inflammation, and decreased PaO2 at the early stage of posttransplantation. Nuclear factor-kappaB in transplanted lungs was activated, accompanied by an increase in messenger RNA levels and protein content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in lung graft. Those changes were prevented by pretreatment with curcumin and dexamethasone.


CONCLUSIONS
Curcumin can be an alternative therapy for protecting lung transplantation-associated injury by suppressing nuclear factor-kappaB-mediated expression of inflammatory genes.
Sun
Jiayuan
J
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
Guo
Weigang
W
Ben
Yong
Y
Jiang
Jinjun
J
Tan
Changjun
C
Xu
Zude
Z
Wang
Xiangdong
X
Bai
Chunxue
C
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D016328:NF-kappa B; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003474:Curcumin