Protective Effect of 20-Hydroxyecdysterone against Lipopolysaccharides- Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice

Aim: To investigate the protective effect of 20-hydroxyecdysterone (20E) against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Materials and methods: Mice were respectively administrated a single intratracheal instillation with normal saline (normal group) and 4 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (LPS cohort). Next, animals of LPS cohort were subsequently divided into the model group, the control group, the low-dose group of 20E, middle-group of 20E and high-dose group of 20E. Histological changes of lung were examined by hematoxylin and eosin. Expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin2 (IL-2), IL-6, IL-8, IL-4 and IL-10 were determined by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay, respectively. Results: 20E treatment could result in a decrease of lung damage in the ALI mice. In the 20E treated groups, expression of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly inhibited compared with that model group, respectively. In addition, expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was induced in the 20E treated groups, respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that 20E play a protective-role in ALI of mice probably by inhibiting the pro-inflammory cytokine expression and enhancing the anti-inflammatory cytokine expression.