title: N-acetylcysteine alleviates the meconium-induced acute lung injury.
abstract: Meconium aspiration in newborns causes lung inflammation and injury, which may lead to meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). In this study, the effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine on respiratory and inflammatory parameters were studied in a model of MAS. Oxygen-ventilated rabbits were intratracheally given 4 mL/kg of meconium (25 mg/mL) or saline. Thirty minutes later, meconium-instilled animals were administered N-acetylcysteine (10 mg/kg; i.v.), or were left without treatment. The animals were oxygen-ventilated for additional 5 h. Ventilatory pressures, oxygenation, right-to-left pulmonary shunts, and leukocyte count were measured. At the end of experiment, trachea and lung were excised. The left lung was saline-lavaged and a total and differential count of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) was determined. Right lung tissue strips were used for detection of lung edema (expressed as wet/dry weight ratio) and peroxidation (expressed by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS). In lung and tracheal strips, airway reactivity to acetylcholine was measured. In addition, TBARS and total antioxidant status were determined in the plasma. Meconium instillation induced polymorphonuclear-derived inflammation and oxidative stress. N-acetylcysteine improved oxygenation, reduced lung edema, decreased polymorphonuclears in BAL fluid, and diminished peroxidation and meconium-induced airway hyperreactivity compared with untreated animals. In conclusion, N-acetylcysteine effectively improved lung functions in an animal model of MAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 4 Mala Hora St., SK-03601, Martin, Slovakia, mokra@jfmed.uniba.sk.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mokra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drgova
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petras
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mokry
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antosova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calkovska
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008470:Meconium; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D000111:Acetylcysteine