Perfluorocarbon attenuates inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and histopathologic changes in paraquat-induced acute lung injury in rats

Abstract

The effects of perfluorocarbon (PFC) on paraquat (PQ) induced acute lung injury (ALI) was evaluated among rats. Twenty four Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control group injected by saline physiologic 0.9%, PFC group injected by Perfluorocarbon, PQ group injected by PQ and PQ+PFC group injected by PFC one hour after receiving paraquat. Bronchoalveular fluid content, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative and histopathologic changes were measured after 72 h. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) in the PQ group were increased compared to either control or PFC groups, but their levels decreased in PQ+PFC group significantly (p<0.05). Also, histopathologic evaluation revealed an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyproline (HP) in the PQ group but a decrease in PQ+PFC group significantly (p<0.01). PFC emulsion by its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrotic properties can reduce the inflammatory and fibrotic alterations, pulmonary oedema, and pulmonary histopathologic changes created by PQ.

Keywords: Histopathology; Inflammation; Lung; Malondealdehyde; Paraquat; Perfluorocarbon.