Effect of Resveratrol on the Expression of p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 in Rats with Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury

To study the expression of p38 Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) and Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in LPS-induced Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and the intervention effect of resveratrol. Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 8): saline group, resveratrol alone, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone and resveratrol pretreatment (LPS + resveratrol). The rats were treated with resveratrol (5 mg kg(-1), intraperitoneal injection (i.p) or saline, 30 min prior to LPS administration (6 mg kg(-1), intravenous injection). About 6 h after LPS injection, samples of pulmonary tissue were collected. Blood gas analysis was carried out Wet/Dry ratios (W/D), Myeloperoxidase (WO) activity, albumin in BALF and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in serum were measured. Optical microscopy was performed to examine pathological changes in lungs and lung injury score was assessed. The pulmonary expression of p38 MAPK was analyzed by western blot. RT-PCR analysis was performed in lung tissue to assess gene expression of ICAM-1. PaO2 in the lipopolysaccharide group significantly decreased compared with that in the saline group (p<0.01). The Wit) ratio increased significantly in the LPS group (5.60 +/- 0.21) as compared with that in the saline group (4.21 +/- 0.12) (p<0.01) which was significantly reduced in the LPS + resveratrol group (4.58 +/- 039) (p<0.01). MPO levels increased significantly in the lipopolysaccharide group compared with that in the saline group which was reduced in the resveratrol + LPS group. The TN-F-alpha and IL-6 level of pulmonary tissue increased significantly in the LPS group compared with that in the saline group protein (p<0.01). However, the increase of TNF-alpha level of serum was significantly reduced in the resveratrol + lipopolysaccharide group protein. (p<0.01). The lung tissues from the lipopolysaccharide group were significantly damaged which were less pronounced in the resveratrol + lipopolysaccharide group. The expression of p38 MAPK, phospho-p38 and ICAM-1 was up-regulated significantly in the lung after rats were injected with LPS (p<0.01). Compared with LPS group resveratrol significantly inhibited the expression of p38 MAPK and ICAM-1 in the resveratrol + lipopolysaccharide group. The expression of p38 MAPK, phospho-p38 and ICAM-1 is up-regulated in rat lung with LPS-induced ALI. Resveratrol injection has a protective effect on ALI and its therapeutic mechanism may be related to inhibition of the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ICAM-1.