Effects of artesunate on improving airway remodeling in asthmatic young rats
Objective To investigate the effect of artesunate on airway remodeling induced by ovalbumin in asthmatic young rats and its mechanism.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group(ovalbumin activation),positive control group(on the basis of model group,injected with 0.2 mg·kg-1 dexamethasone),low-dose group(on the basis of model group,injected with 10 mg·kg-1 artesunate),high-dose group(on the basis of model group,injected with 20 mg·kg-1 artesunate)and agonist group(on the basis of model group,injected with 20 mg·kg-1 artesunate and 100 mg·kg-1 nigerin sodium salt),with 10 rats in each group.Airway remodeling related indexes were detected after treatment.Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect Nod-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)pathway-related protein and mRNA expression;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect inflammatory factors expression level,and the classification and count of inflammatory cells in alveolar lavage fluid were detected by Wright's-Giemsa Staining.Results The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 in normal group,model group,positive control group,high-dose group and agonist group were 1.00±0.10,2.36±0.26,1.08±0.11,1.33±0.12,2.14±0.26,respectively;cysteine aspartate proteinase 1(caspase-1)mRNA expression levels were 1.00±0.13,1.92±0.22,1.22±0.12,1.44±0.10,1.82±0.14,respectively;interleukin-17(IL-17)inflammatory factor expression quantity were(22.41±1.15),(56.74±6.54),(28.72±2.75),(32.69±3.73),(58.40±4.46)pg·mL-1;neutrophil count were(4.04±0.32)×106,(12.70±1.05)×106,(4.53±0.30)×106,(4.67±0.18)× 106,(10.19±0.58)× 106 cell·mL-1.Compared the model group with the normal group,the positive group,the high dose group compared with the model group,the agonist group compared with the high dose group,the differences of the above indicators were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Artesunate can significantly improve airway remodeling in ovalbumin induced asthmatic pups,which may be achieved by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/interleukin 1 β(IL-1β)inflammatory pathway.