title: Protective effects of protocatechuic acid on acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice via p38MAPK and NF-κB signal pathways.
abstract: The study aims to investigate the effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA) separated from Chinese herbs, on acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. The mouse model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS at the dose of 5mg/kg body weight. Three doses of PCA (30, 15, 5 mg/kg) were administered to mice with intraperitoneal injection one hour prior to LPS exposure. Six hours later after LPS administration, the effect of PCA on ALI mice was assessed via histopathological examination by HE staining, inflammatory cytokine production by ELISA assay and RT-PCR, p38MAPK and NF-κB activation by Western blot analysis. We found that PCA administration significantly ameliorated lung histopathological changes and decreased protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Furthermore, the overproduction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was reduced by PCA. Additionally, PCA at the dose of 30 mg/kg could block the activation of p38MAPK and NF-κB signal pathways induced by LPS. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PCA possesses a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice via suppression of p38MAPK and NF-κB signal pathways. Therefore, PCA may be useful in the therapy of lung inflammatory diseases, especially for ALI.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China. Electronic address: zhangxiuli2008@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiuli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China.
authors.forename: Chunli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Yingzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Shui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China.
authors.forename: Mingshan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; C009091:protocatechuic acid; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: Acute lung injury (ALI); Lipopolysaccharide (LPS); Nuclear transcription factor kappa B; Protocatechuic acid (PCA); p38 mitogen-activating protein kinase