An engineered poly(A) tail attenuates gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute lung injury

Gut ischemia/reperfusion causes the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, leading to acute lung injury and high mortality. Cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein is a ribonucleic acid chaperon that binds the polyadenylation tail of messenger ribonucleic acid intracellularly. Upon cell stress, cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein is released, and extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern, worsening inflammation. To inhibit extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein, we have recently developed an engineered polyadenylation tail named A₁₂. Here, we sought to investigate the therapeutic potential of A₁₂ in gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute lung injury.

Male C57BL6/J mice underwent superior mesenteric artery occlusion and were treated with intraperitoneal A₁₂ (0.5 nmol/g body weight) or vehicle at the time of reperfusion. Blood and lungs were collected 4 hours after gut ischemia/reperfusion. Systemic levels of extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein, interleukin-6, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase were determined. The pulmonary gene expression of cytokines (interleukin-6, interleukin-1β) and chemokines (macrophage-inflammatory protein-2, keratinocyte-derived chemokine) was also assessed. In addition, lung myeloperoxidase, injury score, and cell death were determined. Mice were monitored for 48 hours after gut ischemia/reperfusion for survival assessment.

Gut ischemia/reperfusion significantly increased the serum extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein levels. A₁₂ treatment markedly reduced the elevated serum interleukin-6, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase by 53%, 23%, 23%, and 24%, respectively, in gut ischemia/reperfusion mice. A₁₂ also significantly decreased cytokine and chemokine messenger ribonucleic acids and myeloperoxidase activity in the lungs of gut ischemia/reperfusion mice. Histological analysis revealed that A₁₂ attenuated tissue injury and cell death in the lungs of gut ischemia/reperfusion mice. Finally, administration of A₁₂ markedly improved the survival of gut ischemia/reperfusion mice.

A₁₂, a novel extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein inhibitor, diminishes inflammation and mitigates acute lung injury when employed as a treatment during gut ischemia/reperfusion. Hence, the targeted approach toward extracellular cold-inducible ribonucleic acid-binding protein emerges as a promising therapeutic strategy for alleviating gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute lung injury.