title: N-acetylcysteine attenuates cigaret smoke-induced pulmonary exacerbation in a mouse model of emphysema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cigaret smoke (CS) on a mouse model of emphysema and examine the protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the CS-induced exacerbation of pulmonary damage in the mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Particulate matter (PM) in sidestream cigaret smoke aerosol was analyzed by a scanning mobility particle sizer spectrometer. A mouse model of emphysema was established by an injection of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) into the trachea. Mice with emphysema were then exposed to filtered air, or sidestream CS with intragastric administration of NAC or normal saline. Mouse body weight, survival, pulmonary tissue histology, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents in lung tissue, and inflammatory responses were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Particles with a size of ≤346 nm constituted 99.06% of CS PM. Mice exhibited ruptured alveolar septal, alveolar fusion, significantly increased mean lining interval, and reduced mean alveolar number (all p < 0.05), 21 d after PPE injection. Exposure of mice with emphysema to CS exacerbated the pulmonary tissue damage, caused weight loss, significantly increased mortality, decreased T-AOC, elevated MDA contents in lung tissue, and increased interleukin (IL)-1β levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids (all p < 0.05). Administration of NAC attenuated those CS-induced adverse effects in the mice and increased anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 levels in BAL fluids significantly (all p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure of mice with emphysema to CS exacerbated the pulmonary damage, and NAC reduced the CS-mediated pulmonary damage by preventing oxidative damage and reducing inflammatory responses.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Liu-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Environmental Science & Engineering , Fudan University , Shanghai , China , and.
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Ya-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Zhao-Fang
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Yu-Kui
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physics and Chemistry Lab , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: b Department of Environmental Science & Engineering , Fudan University , Shanghai , China , and.
authors.forename: Jian-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Respiratory Medicine , Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai , China .
authors.forename: Hui-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D004646:Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D012906:Smoke; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000111:Acetylcysteine
keywords: Antioxidant capacity; N-acetylcysteine; cigaret smoke; emphysema; particulate matter