Attenuation of Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by flavocoxid treatment

Ivermectin ameliorates bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in male rats by inhibiting the inflammation and oxidative stress

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a pulmonary fibrotic disease characterized by a poor prognosis, which its pathogenesis involves the accumulation of abnormal fibrous tissue, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Ivermectin, a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptor, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in preclinical studies. The present study investigates the potential protective effects of ivermectin treatment in rats against bleomycin-induced IPF.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study involved 42 male Wistar rats, which were divided into five groups: control (without induction of IPF), bleomycin (IPF-induced by bleomycin 2.5 mg/kg, by intratracheal administration), and three fibrosis groups receiving ivermectin (0.5, 1, and 3 mg/kg). lung tissues were harvested for measurement of oxidative stress [via myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH)] and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin-1β [IL-1β], and transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β]). Histological assessments of tissue damage were performed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining methods.

RESULTS

The induction of fibrosis via bleomycin was found to increase levels of MPO as well as TNF-α, IL-1β, and TGF-β while decrease SOD activity and GSH level. Treatment with ivermectin at a dosage of 3 mg/kg was able to reverse the effects of bleomycin-induced fibrosis on these markers. In addition, results from H&E and Masson's trichrome staining showed that ivermectin treatment at this same dose reduced tissue damage and pulmonary fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

The data obtained from this study indicate that ivermectin may have therapeutic benefits for IPF, likely due to its ability to reduce inflammation and mitigate oxidative stress-induced toxicity.

Effect of Agmatine on a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation: A comparative study

INTRODUCTION

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that injures and constricts the airways. This study evaluates the effects of agmatine on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation of the airways.

METHODS

OVA sensitization by intraperitoneal injection was used to induce airway inflammation in mice on days 0 and 7; then the mice were challenged using beclomethasone (150 µg/kg, inhalation), a standard anti-asthmatic drug, from day 14 to day 16. Furthermore, agmatine (200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected on day 0 and then daily for 16 days, followed by OVA challenge. The lung weight ratio, total and differential cell counts, TNF-α, interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung nitrite/nitrate (NO), and oxidative parameters were determined. Moreover, histopathological and immunohistochemical staining was employed.

RESULTS

Injection of agmatine (200 mg/kg) for 16 days significantly attenuated inflammation of the airways. The levels of BALF inflammatory cells, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-13, lung NO, and malondialdehyde (MDA), significantly decreased with concomitant elevation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of mast cells paralleled to biochemical improvements.

CONCLUSION

Finally, this study illustrated that agmatine attenuates the allergic inflammation of airways caused by OVA by mitigating cytokines release, NO expression, and oxidative stress.

Evaluating the protective role of Deglycyrrhizinated licorice root supplement on bleomycin induced pulmonary oxidative damage

The goal of this study was to investigate the protective effect of licorice supplements in a rat model of Bleomycin-induced lung oxidative damage over a duration of one month. The rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10 per group). Control group; Bleomycin group (B): rats were IP injected with bleomycin 5 mg/kg twice weekly. Licorice group (L): rats received orally 300 mg/kg licorice extract. Bleomycin and a low dose of Licorice group (BLLG): rats received orally 75 mg/kg licorice daily and injected as the B group. Bleomycin and a middle dose of Licorice group (BMLG): rats received orally 150 mg/kg licorice daily and injected as the Bleomycin group. Bleomycin and a high dose of Licorice group (BHLG): rats received orally 300 mg/kg licorice daily and injected as the Bleomycin group. Treatment with Bleomycin induced inflammation and oxidative damage to the lungs expressed in the disturbance of the measured parameters in the blood serum, the lung tissue, and the broncholavage fluid. In addition to the decreased expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and catalase (CAT) in the lung tissues. Bleomycin caused deformative changes in the histopathological and cellular examination of the lungs especially in the alveolar cells and the interstitial space. On the other hand, treated the bleomycin group with different doses of licorice supplement activates the antioxidant defense mechanism and attenuates the oxidative damage and damage induced to the lung. In conclusion, Deglycyrrhizinated licorice root supplement provided strong antioxidant and protective effects on Bleomycin-induced lung damage.

Biochanin-A ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing the TGF-β mediated EMT, myofibroblasts differentiation and collagen deposition in in vitro and in vivo systems

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive inflammatory disorder driven by a fibrotic cascade of events such as epithelial to mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix production and collagen formation in the lungs in a sequential manner. IPF incidences were raising rapidly across the world. FDA approved pirfenidone and nintedanib (tyrosine kinase inhibitors) are being used as a first-line treatment drugs for IPF, however, neither the quality of life nor survival rates have been improved because of patient noncompliance due to multiple side effects. Thus, the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting TGF-β mediated cascade of fibrotic events is urgently needed to improve the survival of the patients suffering from devastating disease.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate and validate the anti-fibrotic properties of Biochanin-A (isoflavone) against TGF-β mediated fibrosis in in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo models and to determine the molecular mechanisms that mediate these anti-fibrotic effects.

METHODS

The therapeutic activity of BCA was determined in in vitro/ex vivo models. Cells were pre-treated with BCA and incubated in presence or absence of recombinant-TGF-β to stimulate the fibrotic cascade of events. Pulmonary fibrosis was developed by intratracheal administration of bleomycin in rats. BCA treatment was given for 14 days from post bleomycin instillation and then various investigations (collagen content, fibrosis gene/protein expression and histopathological changes) were performed to assess the anti-fibrotic activity of BCA.

RESULTS

In vitro/ex vivo (Primary normal, IPF cell line and primary IPF cells/ Precision cut mouse lung slices) experiments revealed that, BCA treatment significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the expression of TGF-β modulated fibrotic genes/protein expressions (including their functions) which are involved in the cascade of fibrotic events. BCA treatment significantly (p < 0.01) reduced the bleomycin-induced inflammatory cell-infiltration, inflammatory markers expression, collagen deposition and expression of fibrotic markers in lung tissues equivalent or better than pirfenidone treatment. In addition, BCA treatment significantly (p < 0.001) attenuated the TGF-β1/BLM-mediated increase of TGF-β/Smad2/3 phosphorylation and resulted in the reduction of pathological abnormalities in lung tissues determined by histopathology observations.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, BCA treatment demonstrated the remarkable therapeutic effects on TGF-β/BLM mediated pulmonary fibrosis using IPF cells and rodent models. This current study may offer a novel treatment approach to halt and may be even rescue the devastating lung scarring of IPF.

Metformin attenuates TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibrosis through inhibition of transglutaminase 2 and subsequent TGF-β pathways

The purpose of this study was to confirm whether metformin can attenuate TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibrosis through inhibition of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) and subsequent TGF-β pathways. In vitro, MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay were performed to determine the effect of metformin on the proliferation and apoptosis of human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFL-1 cell). Protein expression of TG2, Collagen I (Col I) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were determined by western blot. To further confirm the relationship between TG2 and the anti-fibrotic effect of metformin, TG2 siRNA and TG2 overexpression plasmid were used to interfere the expression of TG2. A bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model was employed to determine the in vivo inhibitory effect of metformin. The concentrations of TG2, both in supernatants of cells and serum of rats, were determined by ELISA assay. Our results showed that metformin concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of TGF-β1-stimulated HFL-1 cells. The protein expressions of TG2, Col I and α-SMA stimulated by TGF-β1 were decreased after metformin intervention, which was confirmed in both siRNAs and plasmids treatment conditions. In vivo, metformin attenuated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis as demonstrated by H&E and Masson staining, as well as the protein expressions of Col I and α-SMA. Besides, phosphorylated SMAD2, phosphorylated SMAD3, phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated ERK1/2 were all significantly increased after bleomycin treatment and decreased to normal levels after metformin intervention. Taken together, our results demonstrated that metformin can attenuate TGF-β1-induced pulmonary fibrosis, at least partly, through inhibition of TG2 and subsequent TGF-β pathways.

Flavocoxid attenuates airway inflammation in ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma model

Asthma is a common airways inflammatory disease. This study provides evidence on the efficacy of flavocoxid against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airways inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. Airway inflammation was induced by intrapеritonеal injection of 10 mg ovalbumin (OVA) on day zero and day 7 followed by OVA challenge starting from 14th day to 16th day. Beclomethasone; a standard anti-inflammatory agent was selected as a drug in asthma. Flavocoxid (20 mg/kg, i. p.) was administered on day zero till 16th day followed by OVA challenge. At the end of the study, lung weight index, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) content of total and differential WBCs, interleukin-13(IL-13), in addition to lung tissue nitrate/nitrite (NO) and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured. Also, histological and immunohistochemical analysis were conducted. Daily i. p. injection of flavocoxid (20 mg/kg) significantly improved airway inflammation. Inflammatory cells in BALF, malondialdehyde (MDA), NO and IL-13 significantly declined with concomitant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Histopathological examination and immunohistochеmical staining of mast cells were correlated with observed biochemical improvements. Collectively, these results demonstrate that flavocoxid mitigates the allergic airway inflammation induced by ovalbumin through attenuation of IL-13, NO expressions and oxidative stress.