Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate the mechanistic action and therapeutic effects of Bufei decoction on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) after inhalation of bleomycin. Methods Pulmonary fibrosis model in mice was prepared by atomization inhalation of bleomycin. Then, the mice were randomly divided into five groups (control group, model group, positive group, and treatment group) and administrated the drugs for 4 weeks. H&E and Masson's staining of lung tissues were used to observe the morphological changes and deposition of fibers, and the degree of fibrosis was evaluated by hydroxyproline content. The expression and activation of NF-κB were determined by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The infiltration of macrophages was detected by immunostaining of CD45 and F4/80 in lung tissues. Results In mouse IPF, Bufei decoction alleviated the pathological changes and the deposition of fibrosis by decreasing the content of hydroxyproline of lung tissues. The antipulmonary fibrosis might rely on the effects of preventing the infiltration of inflammatory cells and inhibiting the expression and activation of NF-κB in lung tissue. Conclusion Bufei decoction improved the process of pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the activation and expression of the NF-κB signal transduction pathway, which provided a therapeutic option for IPF patients.
Highlights
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible interstitial lung disease and progresses to respiratory failure in most cases with a median survival of 3 to 5 years after diagnosis [1]
The pathogenesis has yet to be fully elucidated, an array of triggers have been found to contribute to IPF, including chemicals, radiation, fibrogenic environmental toxins, or other unknown factors [9]. e inflammatory reactions following those triggers might be the key mechanism for the tissue damage and the accumulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, especially proinflammatory cytokines derived from macrophages [10]
To explore the mechanism of this prescription in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and provided a reliable experimental basis for clinical practice, we demonstrated that Bufei decoction could effectively inhibit the infiltration of macrophages and the activity of NF-κB in alveolar macrophages (AM) and reduce the content of hydroxyproline in lung tissue to attenuate the degree of pulmonary fibrosis
Summary
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible interstitial lung disease and progresses to respiratory failure in most cases with a median survival of 3 to 5 years after diagnosis [1]. Erefore, the clinical specialists frequently combine anti-fibrosis agents with a variety of treatments in practice, including glucocorticoids, anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidants, immune modulators, and traditional Chinese medicines. E inflammatory reactions following those triggers might be the key mechanism for the tissue damage and the accumulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, especially proinflammatory cytokines derived from macrophages [10]. Macrophages as major innate immune cells reside in the lung within alveolar spaces and interstitial tissue. Macrophages have been categorized by function as the classical proinflammatory M1 subtype and the alternative anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, and both
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