title: Hydrogen sulfide protects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by inhibiting NF-κB expression and regulating Th1/Th2 balance.
abstract: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) displays vasodilative, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of H2S on bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats and its possible mechanisms. Fifty-four pathogen-free Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, BLM and H2S treated groups with 18 rats in each group. Each group was then divided into three subgroups based on time of study (7, 14 and 28 day). Pulmonary fibrosis model was established by a single intratracheal instillation of BLM A5 (5 mg/kg). While control rats received saline, rats of the treated group simultaneously were administered intraperitoneal injections of NaHS (the H2S donor, 28 μmol/kg) once daily. BLM induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis, increased lung hydroxyproline levels, lung index, total cell counts, neutrophils and eosinophils counts and expression of NF-κB p65 in lung tissue, decreased lymphocytes and macrophages counts. In addition, Th1 response is suppressed as shown by diminished IFN-γ in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after BLM exposure, and enhancement of Th2 response is marked by increased IL-4 in BALF. H2S administration significantly attenuated these effects. The findings reveal the therapeutic potential of H2S for BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in male rats, which were at least partly due to inhibition NF-κB p65 expression and regulation of Th1/Th2 balance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China. Electronic address: caohua1977@163.com.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Xinli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Pathogenic Microbiology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Xuejing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, 326, Xinshi South Road, Shijiazhuang 050091, Hebei, China. Electronic address: chuli0614@126.com.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects*; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016328:NF-kappa B; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D001761:Bleomycin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Bleomycin; Cytokine; Hydrogen sulfide; Nuclear factor kappa B; Pulmonary fibrosis