title: Veronicastrum axillareAlleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Suppression of Proinflammatory Mediators and Downregulation of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.
abstract: Veronicastrum axillareis a traditional medical plant in China which is widely used in folk medicine due to its versatile biological activities, especially for its anti-inflammatory effects. However, the detailed mechanism underlying this action is not clear. Here, we studied the protective effects ofV. axillareagainst acute lung injury (ALI), and we further explored the pharmacological mechanisms of this action. We found that pretreatment withV. axillaresuppressed the release of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum of ALI mice. Histological analysis of lung tissue demonstrated thatV. axillareinhibited LPS-induced lung injury, improved lung morphology, and reduced the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the lungs. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory actions ofV. axillarewere investigatedin vitro. We observed thatV. axillaresuppressed the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in RAW264.7 cells challenged with LPS. Furthermore, pretreatment ofV. axillare in vitroreduced the phosphorylation of p65 and IκB-αwhich is activated by LPS. In conclusion, our data firstly demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects ofV. axillareagainst ALI were achieved through downregulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby reducing the production of inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Animal Experimental Research Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Quanxin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0553-5293
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310007, China.
authors.forename: Qinqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Weichun
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7264-3978
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Animal Experimental Research Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Qiyang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shou
authors.affiliation: Animal Experimental Research Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Animal Experimental Research Center, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
authors.forename: Minli
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9501-1348
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2