title: Protective effects of puerarin on acute lung and cerebrum injury induced by hypobaric hypoxia via the regulation of aquaporin (AQP) via NF-κB signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypobaric hypoxia, frequently encountered at high altitude, may lead to lung and cerebrum injury. Our study aimed to investigate whether puerarin could exert ameliorative effects on rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia via regulation of aquaporin (AQP) and NF-κB signaling pathway in lung and cerebrum.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (normal control group, hypobaric hypoxia group, puerarin group and dexamethasone group). Wet/dry ratio, blood gas, pathological changes of lung and cerebrum and spatial memory were observed in each group. Inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined with ELISA and expression of AQP1, AQP4, NF-κB signaling pathway in lung and cerebrum with western blot RESULTS: Puerarin showed significant preventative effects on tissue injury and behavioral changes, as evidenced by histopathological findings and Morris water maze. In addition, levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF decreased in the two preventative groups compared with those of hypobaric hypoxia group. AQP in lung and cerebrum increased under the condition of hypobaric hypoxia while was down regulated in both two preventative groups. NF-κB and IκB was also inhibited by puerarin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggested that lung and cerebrum injury, increased inflammatory cytokines in BALF and increased AQP1, AQP4 and NF-κB signaling pathway occurred under the condition of hypobaric hypoxia. Moreover, puerarin could prevent lung and cerebrum injury of rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia via down-regulation of inflammatory cytokines, AQP1 and AQP4 expression and NF-κB signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Chamber, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Muyang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Chamber, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department of Chinese People's Liberation Army Aviation School, 101023 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Chamber, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Chamber, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, PLA General Hospital, 100853 Beijing, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: wangcb301301@163.com.
authors.forename: Chengbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C496022:Aqp1 protein, rat; C496032:Aqp4 protein, rat; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D016207:Cytokines; D007529:Isoflavones; D016328:NF-kappa B; D020011:Protective Agents; D051398:Aquaporin 1; C033607:puerarin