BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of zinc finger protein A20 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary inflammation/anti-inflammatory mediators in an acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) rat model.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-eight ALI/ARDS rats were selected and assigned into normal saline (NS) (injected with NS), LPS (injected with LPS), LPS-C1 (injected with pEGFP-C1, NS and LPS), and A20 groups (injected with pEGFP-C1-A20, NS, and LPS). The wet/dry (W/D) ratio of rat lung tissues and total protein concentration and the number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and qRT-PCR were applied to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of A20, IL-10, and TNF-α, respectively. Western blotting was employed to detect the protein expressions of A20, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and NF-κB p-P65 in rat lung tissues.

RESULTS: Compared with the NS group, the W/D ratio of rat lung tissues and total protein concentration and the number of neutrophils in BALF in the other 3 groups increased significantly. The protein and mRNA expressions of A20, IL-10, and TNF-α were significantly higher in the LPS group than in the NS group. The protein and mRNA expressions of A20 and IL-10 were significantly up-regulated and the expression of TNF-α, NF-κB p65, and NF-κB p-P65 was significantly down-regulated in rats injected with A20 compared to those in the LPS group.

CONCLUSIONS: The study provided evidence that zinc finger protein A20 can alleviate pulmonary inflammation by inhibiting TNF-α, NF-κB p65, and NF-κB p-P65 expressions and promoting IL-10 expression.

Keywords: acute lung injury, Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn