Kaempferitrin alleviates LPS-induced septic acute lung injury in mice through downregulating NF-κB pathway

Acute lung injury (ALI) causes severe and uncontrolled pulmonary inflammation and has high morbidity in dying patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential function of Kaempferitrin (Kae) and uncover its mechanisms in ALI.

We evaluated the role of Kae in ALI through the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced histopathological changes, lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, total bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells count, pulmonary inflammation, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-1β. The effect of Kae on NF-κB signaling pathway was discovered through the protein expression levels of transcription factors p65, p-p65, IκBα, and p-IκBα by Western blot analysis.

The results showed that Kae could improve lung injury by reducing apoptosis, histopathological changes, and lung W/D ratio; more importantly, Kae enhanced the survival of ALI mice. Moreover, Kae relieved inflammation, as it reduced total BALF cells count, and deceased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in serum. In addition, Western blot analysis data suggested that Kae could decrease the protein expression levels of transcription factors p65, p-p65, IκB-α, and p-IκB-α, which were promoted by LPS.

The results of this study suggested that Kae could relieve LPS-induced ALI in mice and reduce inflammation and apoptosis through NF-κB pathway.