title: Losartan prevents sepsis-induced acute lung injury and decreases activation of nuclear factor kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinases.
abstract: Lack of specific and efficient therapy leads to the high mortality rate of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Losartan is a potent pharmaceutical drug for ALI/ARDS. However, the protective effects and mechanisms of losartan remain incompletely known. This study evaluates the effects of losartan on ALI/ARDS and further investigates the possible mechanisms of these protective effects. Mice received i.p. injections of the AT1 inhibitor losartan (15 mg/kg), or control vehicle, half hour after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Plasma TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 cytokines were assayed 6 h after CLP. Blood gas, wet/dry lung weight ratio, lung tissue histology for occurrence of ALI/ARDS, and survival were examined. Lastly, nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activations, IkappaB-alpha degradations, phosphorylations of p38 MAPK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase expressions were evaluated in lung tissue. Losartan treatment significantly attenuated TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1beta 6 h after CLP. Furthermore, losartan prevented blood gas and histopathologic appearance of ALI/ARDS after sepsis and significantly improved survival. Finally, losartan given after sepsis led to inhibition of lung tissue NF-kappaB activation (P < 0.01 vs. CLP group), attenuated degradation of IkappaB-alpha, and inhibited phosphorylation of p38MAPK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, pathways critical for cytokine release. These data reveal that losartan exerts a protective effect on ALI/ARDS, and this protective effect may be dependent, at least in part, on NF-kappaB and MAPK mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China. shenlihan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lihan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Tianhan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Weihao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jihui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Zhenglun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019808:Losartan