To study the effect of
anemoside B4 on rats with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (
COPD).Seventy-two SD male rats were randomly divided into blank group and model group.The method of exposure to cigarette
smoke and combined with
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to replicate the rat model of
COPD.After the model was maintained for 5 weeks,the rats were randomly divided into model group,
dexamethasone group (0.81 mg·kg~(-1)) and
anemoside B4 low,medium and high (2,4,8 mg·kg~(-1)) dose groups,a group of 12 animals were administered,and then the administration was started.The administration was maintained until the28th day,and the pulmonary function parameters of rats were measured by an animal pulmonary function instrument.After testing the rat lung function parameters,immediately draw rat alveolar lavage fluid (BALF),and use high-throughput
protein chip technology to determined the expression levels of inflammatory
cytokines in rat BALF.HE staining was used to observe the general pathological changes of rat lung and tracheal tissue.Masson staining was used to observe the
collagen deposition in rat lung tissue.Real-time q PCR method was used to determine the
mRNA expression level of related genes in rat lung tissue.Western blot method was used to determine the expression levels of related
proteins in rat lung tissues.According to the findings,compared with the model group,the
dexamethasone group and the
anemoside B4 drug groups had different degrees of increase in the lung function parameters of rats (P<0.01,P<0.05),improved the expression level of inflammatory
cytokines in the BALF of rats to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05),and improved the pathological structure of rat lung tissue to varying degrees.Relative
mRNA expressions of
matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2),matrix
metalloproteinase 12 (MMP-12),matrix
metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1),interleukin-6 (IL-6),and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were significantly reduced (P<0.01);whereas relative
mRNA expressions of
matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9) and
matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 2 (TIMP-2) were increased significantly (P<0.01).The
mRNA and
protein expression levels of T-box
transcription factor (T-bet),interleukin-12 (IL-12) and
signal transducer and activator of transcription 4(STAT4) reduced to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05).The
mRNA of
transcription factor GATA3 (binding protein-3),interleukin-4 (IL-4) and
signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) in rat lung tissues and the
protein expression levels of
IL-4 and STAT6 were increased to varying degrees (P<0.01,P<0.05).In conclusion,
anemoside B4 has a certain protective effect on
COPD rats caused by cigarette
smoke exposure and combined with LPS.The mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of
IL-12/STAT4 and IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathways.