FR167653 ameliorates pulmonary damage in ischemia-reperfusion injury in a canine lung transplantation model

Does urinary trypsin inhibitor have a role in acute lung injury induced by pulmonary contusion: a basic research in a model of rats

We evaluate the efficacy of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) on inflammation, oxidative stress, hypoxemia, and diseased lesion in a rat model of acute lung injury induced by blunt trauma. Rats were allocated to 4 groups. One group served as normal control. The other 3 groups had a moderate pulmonary contusion. Except for 1 sham group administrated saline, 1 group was administrated low-dose UTI (20,000 U/kg), and another group was administrated high-dose UTI (50,000 U/kg). Twelve hours after contusion, neutrophil counting in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was performed and tumor necrosis factor α level and albumin level in BALF was tested. Lung tissue malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity was investigated, and blood gas analysis and contusion volume quantification using 3-dimensional computed tomography were performed. High-dose UTI significantly decreased neutrophil count and tumor necrosis factor α level in BALF (P<0.05) and decreased albumin level in BALF but without significance. Lung tissue malondialdehyde levels was significantly reduced, whereas superoxide dismutase and catalase activity were elevated by UTI with significance (P<0.05) especially high-dose UTI. No statistical significance was seen in the change in arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) and contusion volume by UTI (P>0.05). UTI has a dose-dependent trend to ameliorate inflammatory and oxygen stress in pulmonary contusion-induced acute lung injury. However, the effect on hypoxemia and contusion lesion and the best administration regime should be investigated in future study.

Ulinastatin improves pulmonary function in severe burn-induced acute lung injury by attenuating inflammatory response

BACKGROUND

Acute systemic inflammatory response to severe skin burn injury mediates burn-induced acute lung injury. Ulinastatin is potentially an effective intervention, because it attenuates the systemic inflammatory response induced by endotoxin and improves myocardial function during ischemic shock and reperfusion.

METHODS

Rats received full-thickness burn wounds to 30% total body surface area followed by delayed resuscitation. The treatment group received 50,000 U/kg of ulinastatin and the burn group was given vehicle only. A sham group was not burned but otherwise was treated identically. After killing, blood and lung samples were harvested for histology and measurement of inflammatory mediators.

RESULTS

Administration of ulinastatin significantly decreased the mRNA and protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1β, -6, and -8 both locally and systemically in burn-injured rats. The secretion of neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase in the lung and the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on the surface of lung epithelium were inhibited by ulinastatin. Ulinastatin also reduced the increase in pulmonary microvascular permeability. Consistent with these findings, ulinastatin ameliorated the lung edema and pulmonary oxygenation in burn-injured rats.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the inhibitory effects of ulinastatin on inflammatory mediator production, neutrophil activation, and microvascular permeability are associated with the recovery of pulmonary functions in severe burn-induced acute lung injury and suggest that ulinastatin may serve as a potential therapeutic administration in critical burn care.

[p38 MAP Kinase inhibitor]

FR167653 is a potent inhibitor of p38 MAP Kinase and inhibits TNF-alpha and IL-1beta production in inflammatory cells. In this study we investigated the effect of FR167653 on CIA. CIA rats were subcutaneously injected with FR167653 (32 mg/kg/day) starting on the day of the booster injection and after the onset of arthritis in the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment groups, respectively. The hind paw swelling, radiolographic and histologic scores, and osteoclast number were evaluated. Serum and tissue cytokine levels were assessed by ELISA. Flow cytometric analysis of T-lymphocytes from bone marrow was also performed. The effect of FR167653 on in vitro osteoclast formation induced by sRANKL and TNF-alpha was examined. Hind paw swelling occurred in CIA rats but not in the prophylactic treatment group. Therapeutic treatment also significantly reduced the paw swelling. The mean radiographic, histologic score, and osteoclast number of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of CIA rats without treatment. FR167653 treatment reduced serum TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels, ankle IL-1beta concentration, and CD4-CD8a+ T-cell population in bone marrow. Furthermore, FR167653 inhibited the osteoclast-like cell differentiation induced by both sRANKL and TNF-alpha in vitro. FR167653 prevented the onset of arthritis in a prophylactic treatment model and suppresses the progression of joint destruction in a therapeutic treatment model, suggesting that p38 MAP Kinase is a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis.

Hypothermic preservation of lung allograft inhibits cytokine-induced chemoattractant-1, endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 expression

Organ dysfunction is a major clinical problem after lung transplantation. Prolonged cold ischaemia and reperfusion injury are believed to play a central role in this complication. The influence of cold preservation on subsequent warm reperfusion was studied in an isolated, ventilated and perfused rat lung. Rat lungs were flushed with cold Perfadex-solution and stored at 4 degrees C for different time periods. Thereafter lungs were perfused and ventilated for up to 3 h. Physiological parameters, production of inflammatory mediators and leucocyte infiltration were measured before and after perfusion. Lungs subjected to a cold ischaemia time of up to 6 h showed stable physiological conditions when perfused for 3 h. However, cold-ischaemia time beyond 6 h resulted in profound tissue oedema, thereby impairing ventilation and perfusion. Warm reperfusion and ventilation per se induced a strong inflammatory response, as demonstrated by a significant up-regulation of chemokines and adhesion molecules (cytokine-induced chemoattractant-1, intracellular adhesion molecule and endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule), accompanied by enhanced leucocyte infiltration. Although the up-regulation of inflammatory mediators was blunted in lungs that were subjected to cold ischaemia, this did not influence leucocyte infiltration. In fact, cold ischaemia time correlated with leucocyte sequestration. Although cold preservation inhibits the expression of inflammatory mediators it does not affect leucocyte sequestration during warm reperfusion. Cold preservation might cause impairment of the endothelial barrier function, as evidenced by tissue oedema and profound leucocyte infiltration.

Ulinastatin attenuates lung ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor alpha

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury may influence graft function following transplantation. Ulinastatin, a urinary trypsin inhibitor has been shown to attenuate I/R injury in various organs such as intestine, heart, and kidney in animals. The present experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of pretreatment with ulinastatin on I/R-induced lung injury.

METHODS

After establishing a constant left lung warm ischemia-reperfusion model in rats, 45 animals were randomly divided into three experimental groups: sham group (n = 15), IR group (n = 15), and ulinastatin (5000 U/kg pre-ischemia) + IR group (n = 15). The lung injury was evaluated by tissue myeloperoxidase activity, with simultaneous estimation of the serum concentration of TNFalpha.

RESULTS

The ulinastatin-pretreated animals exhibited markedly decreased lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity (P < .05). Blood gas analysis demonstrated, that the treated animals had significantly ameliorated pulmonary oxygenation (P < .05). The serum concentration of TNF-alpha in the ulinastatin-pretreated group was markedly decreased compared with that of the I/R group (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Ulinastatin attenuated I/R-induced lung injury. This function is partly related to the capacity of the agent to inhibit myeloperoxidase activity in lung tissue and decrease systemic expression to TNF-alpha.

Inflammatory response to pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury

Lung ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the most important complications following lung transplant and cardiopulmonary bypass. The pulmonary dysfunction following lung IR has been well documented. Recent studies have shown that ischemia and reperfusion of the lung may each play significant yet differing roles in inducing lung injury. The mechanisms of injury involving neutrophil activation, and the release of numerous inflammatory mediators and oxygen radicals also contributes to lung cellular injury, pneumocyte necrosis, and apoptosis. We herein review the current understanding of the underlying mechanism involved in lung IR injury. The biomolecular mechanisms and interactions which lead to the inflammatory response, pneumocyte necrosis, and apoptosis following lung IR therefore warrant further investigation.

Prevention of the onset and progression of collagen-induced arthritis in rats by the potent p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor FR167653

OBJECTIVE

FR167653 is a potent inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) production in inflammatory cells. In this study we investigated the effect of FR167653 on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

METHODS

Rats with CIA were subcutaneously injected with FR167653 (32 mg/kg/day) starting on the day of the booster injection (day 7) in the prophylactic treatment group and after the onset of arthritis (day 21) in the therapeutic treatment group. Hind-paw swelling, body weight, radiographic and histologic scores, and osteoclast number were evaluated. Cytokine levels in the serum and tissue were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Flow cytometric analysis of T lymphocytes from bone marrow was performed. The effect of FR167653 on in vitro osteoclast formation induced by soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (sRANKL) and TNFalpha was examined.

RESULTS

Swelling of hind paws and loss of weight occurred in the CIA rats, but this was not evident in the prophylactic treatment group. Therapeutic treatment also significantly reduced paw swelling. The mean radiographic and histologic scores as well as the osteoclast numbers were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the CIA rats without treatment. FR167653 treatment reduced the serum levels of TNFalpha and IL-1 beta, lowered the IL-1 beta concentration in the ankle joints, and decreased the CD4-,CD8a+ T cell population in bone marrow. Furthermore, FR167653 inhibited the osteoclast-like cell differentiation induced by both sRANKL and TNFalpha in vitro.

CONCLUSION

FR167653 prevents the onset of arthritis in a prophylactic treatment model and suppresses the progression of joint destruction in a therapeutic treatment model, suggesting that p38 MAPK is a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis.

Effects of a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor as an additive to Euro-Collins solution on reperfusion injury in canine lung transplantation1

BACKGROUND

The activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays an important role in the development of ischemia/reperfusion injury. FR167653 is a novel p38 MAPK inhibitor. This study evaluated the effects of p38 MAPK inhibition during cold ischemia on subsequent reperfusion injury using FR167653 as an additive to Euro-Collins solution in canine lung transplantation.

METHODS

Canine orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed after 12-hr cold storage using Euro-Collins solution, with or without FR167653. Fifteen minutes after reperfusion, the right pulmonary artery and the right stem bronchus were ligated, and the animals were observed for 4 hr after reperfusion. Left pulmonary vascular resistance (L-PVR), cardiac output (CO), arterial oxygen pressure (Pao2), and alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference (A-aDo2) were measured. Lung specimens were harvested for wet-to-dry lung weight ratio (WDR) measurements, histopathologic studies, and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) counts. The activities of p38 MAPK in lung grafts were evaluated.

RESULTS

The addition of FR167653 significantly (P<0.05) improved Pao2, A-aDo2, L-PVR, CO, and WDR and suppressed PMN infiltration after transplantation. FR167653 also ameliorated histologic damage to the lung graft. During cold storage, p38 MAPK was not activated in the lung graft, whereas it was markedly activated 30 min after reperfusion. FR167653 significantly (P<0.05) inhibited p38 MAPK activation 30 min after reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of FR167653 to Euro-Collins solution improved lung graft viability associated with the inhibition of p38 MAPK activation. These results suggest that inhibiting p38 MAPK activation may attenuate ischemia/reperfusion injury in lung transplantation.

Attenuation of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by FR167653 in dogs

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory cytokines are known to contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury. We investigated the effect of FR167653 (FR), a suppressor of interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, on ischemia-reperfusion injury of the kidney in dogs.

METHODS

The left kidney was subjected to ischemia for 60 minutes followed by removal of the right kidney. A control group (n = 10) and an FR group (n = 8) were evaluated for tissue blood flow; resistive index, pulsatility index, arterial oxygen pressure, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase levels; interleukin-1beta messenger RNA expression in the peripheral blood; apoptotic index; and histopathology.

RESULTS

The FR group showed lower creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase levels (P <.038 each) and lower interleukin-1beta mRNA expression and apoptotic index (P <.041 each) than did the control group. Arterial oxygen pressure during the 120 minutes after reperfusion in the FR group decreased but recovered quickly (P =.024). Renal tissue damage in the FR group was less than that in the control group (P =.036).

CONCLUSIONS

FR ameliorates ischemia-reperfusion injury of the kidney potentially by reduced production of inflammatory cytokines that may contribute to damage to the ischemic kidney and the distant organs.