Effects of sevoflurane on lung alveolar epithelial wound healing and survival in a sterile in vitro model of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Exp Cell Res. 2024 May 1;438(1):114030. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114030. Epub 2024 Apr 5.

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious lung condition that often leads to hospitalization in intensive care units and a high mortality rate. Sevoflurane is a volatile anesthetic with growing interest for sedation in ventilated patients with ARDS. It has been shown to have potential lung-protective effects, such as reduced inflammation and lung edema, or improved arterial oxygenation. In this study, we investigated the effects of sevoflurane on lung injury in cultured human carcinoma-derived lung alveolar epithelial (A549) cells. We found that sevoflurane was associated with improved wound healing after exposure to inflammatory cytokines, with preserved cell proliferation but no effect on cell migration properties. Sevoflurane exposure was also associated with enhanced cell viability and active autophagy in A549 cells exposed to cytokines. These findings suggest that sevoflurane may have beneficial effects on lung epithelial injury by promoting alveolar epithelial wound healing and by influencing the survival and proliferation of A549 epithelial cells in vitro. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to investigate the key cellular mechanisms explaining sevoflurane's potential effects on lung epithelial injury.

Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Sevoflurane; Wound healing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Anesthetics, Inhalation / pharmacology
  • Autophagy / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation* / drug effects
  • Cell Survival* / drug effects
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / drug effects
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / pathology
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome* / drug therapy
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome* / pathology
  • Sevoflurane* / pharmacology
  • Wound Healing* / drug effects

Substances

  • Sevoflurane
  • Anesthetics, Inhalation
  • Cytokines