Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a worldwide chronic inflammatory lung disease, and influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a common cause of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). Therefore, targeting viral infections represents a promising strategy to prevent the occurrence and development of inflammatory flare ups in AECOPD. Jianpiyifei II (JPYFII) is a traditional herbal medicine used in China to treat patients with COPD, and its clinical indications are not well understood. However, investigation of the anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanism using an animal model of smoking have been reported in a previous study by our group. In addition, some included herbs, such as Radix astragali and Radix aupleuri, were reported to exhibit antiviral effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether JPYFII formulation relieved acute inflammation by clearing the IAV in a mouse model that was exposed to cigarette smoke experimentally. JPYFII formulation treatment during smoke exposure and IAV infection significantly reduced the number of cells observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), expression of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, superoxide production, and viral load in IAV-infected and smoke-exposed mice. However, JPYFII formulation treatment during smoke exposure alone did not reduce the number of cells in BALF or the expression of Il-6, Tnf-a, and Il-1β. The results demonstrated that JPYFII formulation exerted an antiviral effect and reduced the exacerbation of lung inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice infected with IAV. Our results suggested that JPYFII formulation could potentially be used to treat patients with AECOPD associated with IAV infection.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a worldwide chronic inflammatory lung condition characterized by irreversible airflow limitation [1]
Identification of a herbal formulation that can reduce influenza A virus (IAV)-induced airway inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice may have clinical implications for the treatment of Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) associated with IAV infection
We investigated mice exposed to CS and infected with IAV to mimic the airway inflammation that occurs in AECOPD
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a worldwide chronic inflammatory lung condition characterized by irreversible airflow limitation [1]. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is associated with a range of symptoms, including aggravated coughing, breathing difficulty, sputum production, and wheezing, and it is a leading cause of death in COPD patients [2]. Smoking is a common cause of COPD and can lead to abnormal host responses to viral infections [13,14]. During the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, it has become evident that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection increases the risk of severe comorbidities in patients with COPD [15]. Cigarette smoke (CS) aggravated inflammatory response in mice infected with influenza A virus [16]
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