Total glycosides of Rhodiola rosea L. attenuate LPS-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB pathway

Abstract

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common respiratory disease in clinics, which is characterized by alveolar-capillary membrane loss, plasma protein leakage, pulmonary edema, massive neutrophil infiltration, and the release of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators. Rhodiola rosea L. an adaptogenic plant rich in phenylethanoloids, phenylpropanoids, monoterpenes, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We hope to verify the relieving effect of total glycosides of Rhodiola rosea L. (RTG) on ALI in mice and clarify its mechanism through this study. In this study, we identified the effect and mechanism of RTG on ALI through LPS-induced ALI mice. After RTG treatment, the pathological structure of lung tissue in ALI mice induced by LPS was significantly improved, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells was reduced. In addition, RTG reduced the production of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the serum of ALI mice and reduced the content or activity of MPO, T-SOD, GSH, and MDA in lung tissue. RNAseq analysis showed that RTG ameliorated LPS-induced ALI through anti-inflammatory, reduced immune response, and anti-apoptotic activities. The western blotting analysis confirmed that RTG could down-regulate the expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65, and p-IκBα/IκBα. These results suggest that RTG can attenuate LPS-induced ALI through antioxidants and inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.