title: Protective effect of esculentoside A on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esculentoside A (EsA) is a saponin isolated from the Chinese herb Phytolacca esculenta. In our study, we sought to investigate the protective effects of EsA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the effects of EsA on the reduction of histopathologic changes in mice with ALI, inflammatory cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung wet-to-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 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To further study the mechanism of EsA protective effects on ALI, IκBa, p38, and extracellular signal receptor-activated kinase pathways were investigated in lung tissue of mice with ALI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present investigation, EsA showed marked effects by reducing inflammatory infiltration, thickening of the alveolar wall, and pulmonary congestion. Levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 elevated by LPS were significantly decreased in BALF in EsA-pretreated ALI model. Furthermore, EsA significantly suppressed phosphorylation of IκBa, p38, and extracellular signal receptor-activated kinase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results suggest that EsA suppressed inflammatory responses in LPS-induced ALI through inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen activated protein kinase signaling pathways. EsA may be a promising potential preventive agent for ALI treatment.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei-ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Lan-xiang
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jing-yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: An-na
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Miao-miao
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Lanan-Wassy
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Soromou
authors.forename: Xian-xing
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xin-xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Ci
authors.forename: Da-cheng
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D012503:Saponins; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; C076297:esculentoside A; D009828:Oleanolic Acid
keywords: Acute lung injury; Esculentoside A; IκBa; LPS; MAPK