Li_2022_BMC.Pulm.Med_22_192

BACKGROUND: Curcumin has attracted much attention due to its wide range of therapeutic effects. In this study, we used serum collected from patients undergoing one-lung ventilation (OLV) to establish an in vitro acute lung injury (ALI) model to explore the potential protective mechanism of curcumin on ALI. Our study provides a new reference for the prevention and treatment of ALI induced by OLV. METHODS: A549 cells were treated with 20% serum from patients undergoing OLV to establish an in vitro ALI model. Curcumin, at a dose of 40 microg/ml, was administered two hours prior to this model. The levels of inflammation and oxidative stress markers were observed by Western blot, qRT-PCR, ELISA and reactive oxygen species assay. Additionally, the expression of peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) and proteins involved in the NF-kappaB signaling pathway was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty percent of serum collected from patients undergoing OLV downregulated the expression of Prdx6, leading to the activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, which was associated with the subsequent overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species. Pretreatment with curcumin restored Prdx6 downregulation and inhibited NF-kappaB pathway activation by suppressing the nuclear translocation of P65, eventually reducing inflammation and oxidative stress damage in A549 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Prdx6 mediated the protective function of curcumin by inhibiting the activation of the NF-kappaB pathway in ALI in vitro.