Reactive oxygen species mediate Jak2/Stat3 activation and IL-8 expression in pulmonary epithelial cells stimulated with lipid-associated membrane proteins from Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the activation of Janus kinase2 (Jak2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription3 (Stat3), and IL-8 expression in pulmonary epithelial cells stimulated with lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMP) from Mycoplasma pneumoniae using a known antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
METHODS: Pulmonary epithelial A549 cells were treated with or without NAC in the presence or absence of LAMP. Intracellular ROS levels were detected by fluorescent analysis for fluorescent dichlorofluorescein. mRNA expression of IL-8 was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. IL-8 protein in the medium was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Activation of Jak2/Stat3 was determined by the increases in phospho-specific forms of Jak2/Stat3 compared to total forms of Jak2/Stat3 by western blotting. Stat3-DNA binding activity was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay.
RESULTS: LAMP increased the level of ROS, phosphorylation of Jak2/Stat3, Stat3-DNA binding activity, and IL-8 expression in A549 cells, which were inhibited by NAC dose-dependently.
CONCLUSION: LAMP of M. pneumoniae induces the production of ROS, Jak2/Stat3 activation, and IL-8 induction in A549 cells. Antioxidants such as NAC may be beneficial for preventing pulmonary inflammation caused by M. pneumoniae.