Huangkui Capsule Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Macrophage Activation by Suppressing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Mice

Jinfang Deng; Zhenpeng He; Xiuru Li; Wei Chen; Ziwen Yu; Ting Qi; Shuangyi Xu; Zhengxin Xu; Lei Fang

doi:10.1155/2021/6626483

Huangkui Capsule Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Macrophage Activation by Suppressing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Mice

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Sep 22:2021:6626483. doi: 10.1155/2021/6626483. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jinfang Deng¹, Zhenpeng He², Xiuru Li², Wei Chen¹, Ziwen Yu², Ting Qi², Shuangyi Xu², Zhengxin Xu², Lei Fang^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathlogy, First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
² Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
³ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Experimental & Translational Non-Coding RNA Research, Yangzhou University Medical College, Yangzhou 225009, China.

Abstract

Background: Huangkui capsule (HKC) comprises the total flavonoid extract of flowers of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medicus. This study aimed to explore the effects of HKC on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, histopathology, spectrophotometry, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used for the assessments. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way analysis of variance.

Results: LPS significantly increased lung inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, and oxidative stress and downregulated lung miR-451 expression. Treatment with HKC dramatically, reduced the total cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inhibited myeloperoxidase activity in the lung tissues 24 h after LPS challenge. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that HKC attenuated LPS-induced tissue oedema and neutrophil infiltration in the lung tissues. Additionally, the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) α and interleukin- (IL-) 6 in BALF and IL-6 in the plasma reduced after HKC administration. Moreover, HKC could enhance glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities and upregulate the expression of miR-451 in the lung tissues. In vitro experiments revealed that HKC inhibited the production of nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-6 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and mouse primary peritoneal macrophages. Additionally, HKC downregulated LPS-induced transcription of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 cells.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that HKC has anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects that may protect mice against LPS-induced ALI and macrophage activation.