Baclofen, a GABABR agonist, ameliorates immune-complex mediated acute lung injury by modulating pro-inflammatory mediators

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 7;10(4):e0121637. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121637. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Immune-complexes play an important role in the inflammatory diseases of the lung. Neutrophil activation mediates immune-complex (IC) deposition-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Components of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) signaling, including GABA B receptor 2 (GABABR2), GAD65/67 and the GABA transporter, are present in the lungs and in the neutrophils. However, the role of pulmonary GABABR activation in the context of neutrophil-mediated ALI has not been determined. Thus, the objective of the current study was to determine whether administration of a GABABR agonist, baclofen would ameliorate or exacerbate ALI. We hypothesized that baclofen would regulate IC-induced ALI by preserving pulmonary GABABR expression. Rats were subjected to sham injury or IC-induced ALI and two hours later rats were treated intratracheally with saline or 1 mg/kg baclofen for 2 additional hours and sacrificed. ALI was assessed by vascular leakage, histology, TUNEL, and lung caspase-3 cleavage. ALI increased total protein, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α and interleukin-1 receptor associated protein (IL-1R AcP), in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Moreover, ALI decreased lung GABABR2 expression, increased phospho-p38 MAPK, promoted IκB degradation and increased neutrophil influx in the lung. Administration of baclofen, after initiation of ALI, restored GABABR expression, which was inhibited in the presence of a GABABR antagonist, CGP52432. Baclofen administration activated pulmonary phospho-ERK and inhibited p38 MAPK phosphorylation and IκB degradation. Additionally, baclofen significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory TNF-α and IL-1βAcP release and promoted BAL neutrophil apoptosis. Protective effects of baclofen treatment on ALI were possibly mediated by inhibition of TNF-α- and IL-1β-mediated inflammatory signaling. Interestingly, GABABR2 expression was regulated in the type II pneumocytes in lung tissue sections from lung injured patients, further suggesting a physiological role for GABABR2 in the repair process of lung damage. GABABR2 agonists may play a potential therapeutic role in ALI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acute Lung Injury / etiology
  • Acute Lung Injury / metabolism
  • Acute Lung Injury / prevention & control*
  • Animals
  • Antigen-Antibody Complex / toxicity*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Baclofen / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / chemistry
  • GABA-B Receptor Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Rats
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Receptors, GABA-B / chemistry
  • Receptors, GABA-B / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Substances

  • Antigen-Antibody Complex
  • GABA-B Receptor Agonists
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Receptors, GABA-B
  • Baclofen