Intravenous Dexamethasone Attenuated Inflammation and Influenced Apoptosis of Lung Cells in an Experimental Model of Acute Lung Injury
PHYSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Authors: Kosutova, P.; Mikolka, Pavol; Balentova, S.; Adamkov, M.; Kolomaznik, M.; Calkovska, A.; Mokra, D.
Abstract
Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by diffuse alveolar damage, inflammation, and transmigration and activation of inflammatory cells. This study evaluated if intravenous dexamethasone can influence lung inflammation and apoptosis in lavage-induced ALI. ALI was induced in rabbits by repetitive saline lung lavage (30 ml/kg, 9 +/- 3-times). Animals were divided into 3 groups: ALI without therapy (ALI), ALI treated with dexamethasone i.v. (0.5 mg/kg, Dexamed; ALI+DEX), and healthy non-ventilated controls (Control). After following 5 h of ventilation, ALI animals were overdosed by anesthetics. Total and differential counts of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) were estimated. Lung edema was expressed as wet/dry weight ratio. Concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-8, esRAGE, S1PR3 in the lung were analyzed by ELISA methods. In right lung, apoptotic cells were evaluated by TUNEL assay and caspase-3 immunohistochemically. Dexamethasone showed a trend to improve lung functions and histopathological changes, reduced leak of neutrophils (P<0.001) into the lung, decreased concentrations of pro-inflammatory IL-1 beta (P<0.05) and marker of lung injury esRAGE (P<0.05), lung edema formation (P<0.05), and lung apoptotic index (P<0.01), but increased immunoreactivity of caspase-3 in the lung (P<0.001). Considering the action of dexamethasone on respiratory parameters and lung injury, the results indicate potential of this therapy in ALI.
S1P lyase inhibition protects against sepsis by promoting disease tolerance via the S1P/S1PR3 axis
EBIOMEDICINE
Authors: Weigel, Cynthia; Huttner, Soren S.; Ludwig, Kristin; Krieg, Nadine; Hofmann, Susann; Schroeuroder, Nathalie H.; Robbe, Linda; Kluge, Stefan; Nierhaus, Axel; Winkler, Martin S.; Rubio, Ignacio; Maltzahn, Julia von; Spiegel, Sarah; Graler, Markus H.
Abstract
Background: One-third of all deaths in hospitals are caused by sepsis. Despite its demonstrated prevalence and high case fatality rate, antibiotics remain the only target-oriented treatment option currently available. Starting from results showing that low-dose anthracyclines protect against sepsis in mice, we sought to find new causative treatment options to improve sepsis outcomes. Methods: Sepsis was induced in mice, and different treatment options were evaluated regarding cytokine and biomarker expression, lung epithelial cell permeability, autophagy induction, and survival benefit. Results were validated in cell culture experiments and correlated with patient samples. Findings: Effective low-dose epirubicin treatment resulted in substantial downregulation of the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) degrading enzyme S1P lyase (SPL). Consequent accumulation and secretion of S1P in lung parenchyma cells stimulated the S1P-receptor type 3 (S1PR3) and mitogen-activated protein kinases p38 and ERK, reducing tissue damage via increased disease tolerance. The protective effects of SPL inhibition were absent in S1PR3 deficient mice. Sepsis patients showed increased expression of SPL, stable expression of S1PR3, and increased levels of mucin-1 and surfactant protein D as indicators of lung damage. Interpretation: Our work highlights a tissue-protective effect of SPL inhibition in sepsis due to activation of the S1P/S1PR3 axis and implies that SPL inhibitors and S1PR3 agonists might be potential therapeutics to protect against sepsis by increasing disease tolerance against infections. (c) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)