Limin Wang1, Qinxing Xu1, Sheng Huang1, Jian Ye1, Jiaoli Wang1, Zhenyi Ren2. 1. Department of Respiratory Medicine, First Municipal People's Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, China. 2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, First Municipal People's Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, China. Email: kycli@ 163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Xuebijing plus methylprednisolone in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin. METHODS: Eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of control, model control, Xuebijing, methylprednisolone and combined treatment (Xuebijing plus methylprednisolone). Pulmonary fibrosis model was induced by an intra-tracheal injection of bleomycin. The treatment groups were administrated with 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) Xuebijing and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiologic saline, 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) methylprednisolone and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiologic saline, or 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) methylprednisolone and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) Xuebijing respectively by intraperitoneal injection. And the control and model control groups received 9 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiological saline. The animals were sacrificed at Days 14 and 28 respectively. The degrees of lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis were detected by hematoxylin & eosin and Masson staining. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in lung tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Compared between the combined treatment and model control groups, at Days 14 and 28, the degree of alveolitis ((1.09 ± 0.30) vs (2.03 ± 0.25) and (0.75 ± 0.27) vs (1.78 ± 0.36) ng/L) , the degree of pulmonary fibrosis ((0.91 ± 0.19 )vs (1.34 ± 0.23) and (0.75 ± 0.27) vs (1.78 ± 0.36)) . The expression of TGF-β1 in lung tissue ((12.11 ± 3.06)% vs (17.70 ± 2.70)% & (10.96 ± 2.53)% vs (16.72 ± 2.20)%). And the serum level of TNF-α ((68.39 ± 9.28) vs (90.94 ± 11.16) ng/L & (67.14 ± 10.88) vs (81.73 ± 7.23) ng/L) all significantly decreased (all P < 0.05). At Day 14, the serum level of IL-6 in the combined treatment group significantly decreased as compared with the model control group ((199 ± 31) vs (250 ± 43)ng/L, P = 0.036). At Day 28, no statistic difference was found ( (192 ± 25) vs (227 ± 24)ng/L, P = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS: The combined treatment of methylprednisolone and Xuebijing is more effective in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis. And its mechanism is associated with the reduced levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and TGF-β1 expression in lung tissue.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Xuebijing plus methylprednisolone in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin. METHODS: Eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of control, model control, Xuebijing, methylprednisolone and combined treatment (Xuebijing plus methylprednisolone). Pulmonary fibrosis model was induced by an intra-tracheal injection of bleomycin. The treatment groups were administrated with 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) Xuebijing and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiologic saline, 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) methylprednisolone and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiologic saline, or 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) methylprednisolone and 4.5 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) Xuebijing respectively by intraperitoneal injection. And the control and model control groups received 9 ml · kg(-1) · d(-1) physiological saline. The animals were sacrificed at Days 14 and 28 respectively. The degrees of lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis were detected by hematoxylin & eosin and Masson staining. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in lung tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Compared between the combined treatment and model control groups, at Days 14 and 28, the degree of alveolitis ((1.09 ± 0.30) vs (2.03 ± 0.25) and (0.75 ± 0.27) vs (1.78 ± 0.36) ng/L) , the degree of pulmonary fibrosis ((0.91 ± 0.19 )vs (1.34 ± 0.23) and (0.75 ± 0.27) vs (1.78 ± 0.36)) . The expression of TGF-β1 in lung tissue ((12.11 ± 3.06)% vs (17.70 ± 2.70)% & (10.96 ± 2.53)% vs (16.72 ± 2.20)%). And the serum level of TNF-α ((68.39 ± 9.28) vs (90.94 ± 11.16) ng/L & (67.14 ± 10.88) vs (81.73 ± 7.23) ng/L) all significantly decreased (all P < 0.05). At Day 14, the serum level of IL-6 in the combined treatment group significantly decreased as compared with the model control group ((199 ± 31) vs (250 ± 43)ng/L, P = 0.036). At Day 28, no statistic difference was found ( (192 ± 25) vs (227 ± 24)ng/L, P = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS: The combined treatment of methylprednisolone and Xuebijing is more effective in a rat model of pulmonary fibrosis. And its mechanism is associated with the reduced levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and TGF-β1 expression in lung tissue.