Objective To explore the anti-inflammatory effects of ambroxol hydrochloride in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（COPD）.Methods Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups，ie.a control group，a smoking group and an ambroxol group.The rats in the smoking and ambroxol groups were exposed to cigarettes smoking for 12 weeks.Ambroxol hydrochloride was administered via intragastric gavage after 4 weeks smoking in the ambroxol group.After 12 weeks，the expiratory airway resistance(Re) and dynamic lung compliance(CLdyn) were measured.The expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B（NF-κB）and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in airway epithelium cell were observed by immunohistochemical method.Results Re was increased and CLdyn was decreased significantly in the smoking and ambroxol groups compared with the control group(all Plt;0.01).Re was lower (Plt;0.01) and CLdyn was higher(Plt;0.05) in the ambroxol group than those in the smoking group.B.The level of NF-κB and ICAM-1 in smoking and ambroxol groups were obviously increased compared with the control group (all Plt;0.05)，which was decreased in the ambroxol group compared with the smoking group(both Plt;0.05).C.The expression of NF-κB was positively correlated with ICAM-1 expression in airway epithelial cells（r=0.924，Plt;0.01）.Conclusions Smoking can increase the airway resistance，reduce the lung compliance and increase the expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1 in airway epithelium.Ambroxol hydrochloride can relieve those effects of smoking，which suggested an anti-inflammatory therapeutic role in COPD.
Objective To investigate the effects of smoking intensity, duration and cessation on mRNA and protein expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 ( MMP-9) in tracheal epitheliumof rats, and the relationship between smoking or smoking cessation and airway remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) . Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, ie. a normal control group, a long termheavy smoking group, a short termheavy smoking group, a long termlight smoking group,and a smoking cessation group which was exposed to room air for 10 weeks after long term heavy smoking.The expressions of MMP-9 mRNA and protein in tracheal epithelium of rats were detected by in situ hybridization and munohistochemistry respectively. Results ( 1) The pathological changes of emphysema were observed in the lung tissue of every smoking rat, and were most sever in the long term heavy smoking group. ( 2) Compared with the normal control group [ ( 0. 88 ±0. 88) PU, ( 2. 80 ±1. 66) PU] , the expressions of MMP-9 mRNA and proteins in tracheal epithelium were remarkable elevated in the long term heavy smoking group [ ( 22. 01 ±2. 86) PU, ( 20. 81 ±2. 46) PU] , the short term heavy smoking group [ ( 14. 94 ±3. 46) PU, ( 13. 68 ±2. 00) PU] , the long term light smoking group [ ( 6. 92 ±2. 71) PU,( 8. 84 ±1. 80) PU] and the smoking cessation group [ ( 19. 00 ±3. 36) PU, ( 14. 82 ±1. 74) PU] ( P lt;0. 01) . Compared with the long term heavy smoking group, the expressions of MMP-9 in tracheal epithelium were decreased in other three smoking groups ( P lt; 0. 05) . Conclusions Smoking could increase the expression of MMP-9 in tracheal epithelium and cause trachea damage and remodeling with intensity and duration in rats. Smoking cessation could decrease the MMP-9 expression and alleviate trachea remodeling,suggesting its role in the prevention of COPD.
Objective To study the relationship between smoking as well as smoke cessation and lung inflammation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease( COPD) , and its possible mechanism. Methods Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a low-dose smoking group, a high-dose smoking group, and a smoke cessation group. The expressions of NF-κB and E-selectin in rats lung were detected by immunohistochemistry and hybridization in situ. Results The mRNA and protein expressions of NF-κB in bronchial endothelial cells of the high-dose smoking group( 0. 43 ±0. 01, 0. 41 ±0. 04) , the lowdose smoking group( 0. 41 ±0. 01, 0. 40 ±0. 01) , and the smoke cessation group( 0. 39 ±0. 01, 0. 37 ±0. 03) , were significantly higher than the control group( 0. 29 ±0. 06, 0. 28 ±0. 06) ( all P lt; 0. 05) , with the high-dose smoking group and the smoke cessation group significantly higher than the low-dose smoking group ( both P lt;0. 05) . The mRNA and protein expressions of E-selectin had the similar pattern with NF-κB. The expressions of E-selectin mRNA and protein were positively correlated with the expression of NF-κB mRNA and protein respectively ( r = 0. 80, r = 0. 89, P lt; 0. 01) . Conclusions Smoking can result in high expressions of NF-κB and E-selectin in a dose dependent manner. Smoke cessation can relieve airway inflammation and is an effective measure for preventing COPD.