Retinoic Aacid Diminished the Expression of MMP-2 in Hyperoxia-exposed Premature Rat Lung Fibroblasts through Regulating Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases

This study examined the effects of retinoic acid （RA）, PD98059, SP600125 and SB203580 on the hyperoxia-induced expression and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2） and metalloproteinase-2 （TIMP-2） in premature rat lung fibroblasts （LFs）. LFs were exposed to hyperoxia or room air for 12 h in the presence of RA and the kinase inhibitors PD98059 （ERK1/2）, SP600125 （JNK1/2） and SB203580 （p38） respectively. The expression levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 mRNA were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. MMP-2 activity was measured by zymography. The amount of p-ERK1/2, REK1/2, p-JNK1/2, JNK1/2, p-p38 and p38 was determined by Western blotting. The results showed that： （1） PD98059, SP600125 and SB203580 significantly inhibited p-ERK1/2, p-JNK1/2 and p-p38 respectively in LFs; （2） The expression of MMP-2 mRNA in LFs exposed to hyperoxia was decreased after treatment with RA, SP600125 and SB203580 respectively （P0.01 or 0.05）, but did not change after treatment with PD98059 （P0.05）. Meanwhile, RA, PD98059, SP600125 and SB203580 had no effect on the expression of TIMP-2 mRNA in LFs exposed to room air or hyperoxia （P0.05）; （3） The expression of pro- and active MMP-2 experienced no change after treatment with RA or SP600125 in LFs exposed to room air （P0.05）, but decreased remarkably after hyperoxia （P0.01 or 0.05）. SB203580 inhibited the expression of pro- and active MMP-2 either in room air or under hyperoxia （P0.01）. PD98059 exerted no effect on the expression of pro- and active MMP-2 （P0.05）. It was suggested that RA had a protective effect on hyperoxia-induced lung injury by down-regulating the expression of MMP-2 through decreasing the JNK and p38 activation in hyperoxia.

Effects of Hyperoxia on Cytoplasmic Thioredoxin System in Alveolar Type Epithelial Cells of Premature Rats

This study investigated the effects of hyperoxia on dynamic changes of thioredoxin-1 （Trx1） and thioredoxin reductase-1 （TrxR1） in alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells （AECⅡ） of premature rats. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed on day 19 of gestation. AECⅡ were isolated and purified from the lungs of premature rats. When cultured to 80% confluence, in vitro cells were randomly divided into air group and hyperoxia group. Cells in the hyperoxia group were continuously exposed to 95% O2/5% CO2 and those in the air group to 95% air/5% CO2. After 12, 24 and 48 h, cells in the two groups were harvested to detect their reactive oxygen species （ROS）, apoptosis, TrxR1 activity and the expressions of Trx1 and TrxR1 by corresponding protocols, respectively. The results showed that AECⅡ exposed to hyperoxia generated excessive ROS and the apoptosis percentage in the hyperoxia group was increased significantly at each time points as compared with that in the air group （P0.001）. Moreover, TrxR1 activity was found to be markedly depressed in the hyperoxia group in comparison to that in the air group （P0.001）. RT-PCR showed the expressions of both Trx1 and TrxR1 mRNA were significantly increased in AECⅡ exposed to hyperoxia for 12 and 24 h （P0.01）, respectively. At 48 h, the level of Trx1 mRNA as well as that of TrxR1 mRNA in the hyperoxia group was reduced and showed no significant difference from that in the air group （P0.05）. Western blotting showed the changes of Trx1 protein expressions in the hyperoxia group paralleled those of Trx1 mRNA expressions revealed by RT-PCR. It was concluded that hyperoxia can up-regulate the protective Trx1/TrxR1 expressed by AECⅡ in a certain period, however, also cause dysfunction of the cytoplasmic thioredoxin system by decreasing TrxR1 activity, which may contribute to the progression of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis and finally result in lung injury.

Hyperoxia-induced lung injury in premature rat:description of a suitable model for the study of lung diseases in newborns

Obiectives To provide suitable animal model (hyperoxia induced premature rat lung damage) for research of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and to better understand pathogenesis of BPD and look for effective drugs to prevent and treat BPD. Methods Rat litters delivered prematurely at 21 day gestation by hysterotomy. Vigorous resuscitation at birth resulted in a high survival rate. Surfactant and antioxidant enzyme (AOE) system were measured. The model was tested in an experiment of hyperoxia induced lung injury. Results Compared to litters delivered spontaneously at term (gestation 22 days), these preterm rats had immature pulmonary surfactant composition with low total phospholipid (±s: 10.09±1.49 μg/mg wet weight vs 12.04±1.31 μg/mg wet weight; P=0.0367) and phostidylcholine (5.06±1.82 μg/mg wet weight vs 8.28±2.35 μg/mg wet weight; P= 0.0238) levels. The concentrations of AOE enzymes, superoxide dismutase (11.40±2.04 μ/mg DNA vs 15.78±1.84 μ/mg DNA; P<0.01) and catalase (92.81±62.25 μ/mg DNA vs 412.24±117.50 μ/mg DNA; P<0.01) were also significantly lower. Animals exposed to hyperoxia had a significantly higher mortality. Pulmonary edema and histological features of lung damage were observed in the pups exposed to hyperoxia. Conclusions The premature rat model is relatively cheap, readily available and has a high survival rate. Pulmonary surfactant and AOE systems are immature. These properties make them a suitable model for the study of acute and chronic lung damage related to prematurity and O 2 toxicity.