Visfatin acts as a significant regulator of inflammatory cytokines. However, the immunological response and therapeutic effects of visfatin under bacterial stress in murine lung tissue are still not clear. To investigate the role of visfatin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI), thirty Kunming mice were divided into Saline, LPS, and LPS + visfatin groups. After routine blood examination, the effects of visfatin on inflammatory cytokines, lung tissue structure, and expression of inflammatory mediators were explored through hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Masson and immunohistochemical staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR), and Western blotting. Compared with the Saline group, neutrophil percentage, peripheral blood neutrophil count, and the ratio of lymphocyte count (NLR) were upregulated in LPS group. Moreover, Masson staining showed alterations in lung tissue structure; the mRNA level of different cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-10, TLR4, IFN-γ) was upregulated; and the protein expression of interleukin (IL)-6, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β) was significantly (p < 0.05) different in LPS group. Compared with LPS group, neutrophil percentage significantly decreased (p < 0.01), the numbers of lymphocytes significantly (p < 0.05) increased, NLR decreased, Masson staining of the lung was extremely different (p < 0.01), the structure of the lung was slightly damaged, and the myeloperoxidase values of lung showed no differences in LPS + visfatin. Hence, visfatin inhibits the lung inflammation induced by ALI. During the ALI, visfatin acts by decreasing NLR, downregulated the expression of MPO, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and regulated the inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α to reduce the lung injury.
Keywords: acute lung injury; inflammatory cytokines; lipopolysaccharide; visfatin.