Rhcygb Benefits Bleomycin-Induced Established Pulmonary Fibrosis In Rats

Recombinant human cytoglobin (rhCygb) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antifibrotic effects in livers and kidneys in animal disease models. However, the effect of rhCygb on the progression of pulmonary fibrosis is still unclear. In this study, we investigated rhCygb's therapeutic effects on lung fibrosis in rats treated with bleomycin. Bleomycin (5 mg/kg) resulted in fibrosis that could be detected using CT and serum measurements at day 7. The effects of the rhCygb treatment on the morphological and CT imaging of the lungs, as well as the serial serum levels of the biomarkers with progressive lung fibrosis were tested at days 28 and 56. The results showed that evidence for well-established lung fibrosis was determined by the changes in the rat lungs using CT images and the serum HA, LN, PIIINP, and IVC levels at 7 days. After treatment with rhCygb for 49 days, we found significantly decreased and almost normal HA, LN, PIIINP, and IVC levels. The hydroxyproline, CT-MLD, and Masson CVF levels were also significantly reduced. Furthermore, the CT-MLD levels positively correlated with the serum HA, LN, PIIINP, IVC, and HYP levels, and especially with the CVF levels. Taken together, our data suggest that rhCygb is a potential new medicine for reversing lung fibrosis.