Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe clinical condition marked by acute respiratory failure and dysregulated inflammation. Pulmonary vascular endothelial cells (PVECs) function as an important pro-inflammatory source in ARDS, suggesting that modulation of inflammatory events at the endothelial level may have a therapeutic benefit. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors, widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, have been reported to have possible anti-inflammatory effects. However, the potential anti-inflammatory effects of DPP4 inhibition on PVEC function and ARDS pathophysiology are unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of sitagliptin, a DPP4 inhibitor in wide clinical use, on LPS-induced lung injury in mice and in human lung ECs in vitro. In vivo, sitagliptin reduced serum DPP4 activity, bronchoalveolar lavage protein concentration, cell number, and proinflammatory cytokine levels after LPS and alleviated histological findings of lung injury. LPS decreased the expression levels of CD26/DPP4 on pulmonary epithelial cells and PVECs isolated from mouse lungs, and the effect was partially reversed by sitagliptin. In vitro, human lung microvascular ECs (HLMVECs) expressed higher levels of CD26/DPP4 than human pulmonary arterial ECs. LPS induced the release of TNFα, IL-6, and IL-8 by HLMVECs that were inhibited by sitagliptin. LPS promoted the proliferation of HLMVECs, and sitagliptin suppressed this response. However, sitagliptin failed to reverse LPS-induced permeability in cultured ECs or lung epithelial cells in vitro. In summary, sitagliptin attenuates LPS-induced lung injury in mice and exerts anti-inflammatory effects on HLMVECs. These novel observations indicate DPP4 inhibitors may have potential as therapeutic drugs for ARDS.
Keywords: CD26; DPP4 inhibitor; LPS; lung injury; sitagliptin.