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Updated: Jul 8, 2025
Long Term Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Airway Infection in Mice
Published on: March 17, 2014
Acarbose reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory tract infection in type 2 diabetic mice
Lin Liu1,2,3, Haiyang Fan1,2,3, Liang Li4,5
1Department of Otolaryngology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is widely prevalent worldwide, and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) have become the primary cause of death for T2DM patients who develop concurrent infections. Among these, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection has been found to exhibit a high mortality rate and poor prognosis and is frequently observed in bacterial infections that are concurrent with COVID-19. Studies have suggested that acarbose can be used to treat T2DM and reduce inflammation. Our objective was to explore the effect of acarbose on P. aeruginosa RTI in T2DM individuals and elucidate its underlying mechanism.
Methods:
High-fat diet (HFD) induction and P. aeruginosa inhalation were used to establish a RTI model in T2DM mice. The effect and mechanism of acarbose administered by gavage on P. aeruginosa RTI were investigated in T2DM and nondiabetic mice using survival curves, pathological examination, and transcriptomics.
Results:
We found that P. aeruginosa RTI was more severe in T2DM mice than in nondiabetic individuals, which could be attributed to the activation of the NF-κB and TREM-1 signaling pathways. When acarbose alleviated P. aeruginosa RTI in T2DM mice, both HIF-1α and NF-κB signaling pathways were inhibited. Furthermore, inhibition of the calcium ion signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway contributed to the attenuation of P. aeruginosa RTI by acarbose in nondiabetic mice.
Conclusions:
This study confirmed the attenuating effect of acarbose on P. aeruginosa RTIs in T2DM and nondiabetic mice and investigated its mechanism, providing novel support for its clinical application in related diseases.
Insights
Acarbose effectively treats Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) mice by inhibiting key inflammatory pathways. This study supports acarbose
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases mortality risk from respiratory tract infections (RTIs), particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in T2DM patients have a high mortality rate and poor prognosis.
- Acarbose, a T2DM drug, shows potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic effect of acarbose on Pseudomonas aeruginosa RTIs in T2DM.
- To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of acarbose's action in T2DM and non-diabetic models.
Main Methods:
- Established a T2DM RTI mouse model using high-fat diet and P. aeruginosa inhalation.
- Administered acarbose via gavage and evaluated its effects using survival curves, pathological examination, and transcriptomics.
- Compared outcomes in T2DM and non-diabetic mice.
Main Results:
- P. aeruginosa RTI severity was greater in T2DM mice, linked to NF-κB and TREM-1 pathway activation.
- Acarbose treatment inhibited HIF-1α and NF-κB signaling pathways, alleviating RTIs in T2DM mice.
- In non-diabetic mice, acarbose attenuated RTIs by inhibiting calcium ion and NF-κB signaling.
Conclusions:
- Acarbose demonstrates an attenuating effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa RTIs in both T2DM and non-diabetic mice.
- The study elucidates acarbose's mechanism involving inhibition of specific inflammatory signaling pathways.
- Findings provide support for acarbose's potential clinical application in related infectious diseases.
