title: Cordyceps Militaris Alleviates Severity of Murine Acute Lung Injury Through miRNAs-Mediated CXCR2 Inhibition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are lethal diseases in humans, and the current treatments have limited therapeutic effects. Cordyceps militaris (CM) is a caterpillar-grown traditional medicinal mushroom, and has been used as a natural invigorant for longevity, endurance, and vitality in China. Recently, purified extracts from CM have been shown to have beneficial effects on various diseases including cancer. Nevertheless, a role of CM in ALI has not been examined previously.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we used a bleomycin-induced ALI model to study the effects of CM on the severity of ALI in mice. The levels of CXCR2, a receptor for Interleukin 8 (IL-8) in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, were examined in different experimental groups. The levels of microRNA (miR)-1321 and miR-3188 were also examined in lung samples and in CM. Adeno-associated viruses carrying miR-1321 and miR-3188 were injected into bleomycin-treated mice for evaluation their effects on the severity of ALI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CM treatment significantly alleviated the severity of bleomycin-induced ALI in mice. The increases in lung CXCR2 by bleomycin were significantly reduced by CM at protein level, but not at mRNA level. CM contained high levels of 2 miRNAs (miR-1321 and miR-3188) that target 3'-UTR of CXCR2 mRNA to inhibit its expression. Overexpression of miR-1321 and miR-3188 in mouse lung through AAV-mediated gene therapy mimicked the effects of CM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CM may alleviate severity of murine ALI through miRNAs-mediated CXCR2 inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Qirong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Jichun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D010936:Plant Extracts; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B; D001761:Bleomycin