Objective To investigate the intervention effect of chitosan on PM2.5-induced acute lung injury in mice.
Methods Forty-four male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely control group, PM2.5 group, chitosan group and chitosan+PM2.5 group. Chitosan+PM2.5 and chitosan groups were given chitosan 2 weeks in advance, while the control group and PM2.5 group were given distilled water, once a day. After 2 weeks, the PM2.5 exposure group was instilled with PM2.5 in the trachea, and the control group and the chitosan group were instilled with normal saline, once a day for 7 consecutive days. Animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last exposure. HE staining was used for morphological observation, and the levels of total protein (TP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in liver malondialdehyde (MDA), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by spectrophotometry; 1β (IL-1β), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression.
Results The alveolar septum in the PM2.5 group was significantly widened, and there were obvious infiltration of lymph and plasma cells in it; compared with the PM2.5 group, the pulmonary septum in the chitosan+PM2.5 group was significantly narrowed, and the endolymphatic and plasma cells infiltrated in the chitosan+PM2.5 group. obviously decrease. Compared with the control group, the levels of MDA, TP, LDH, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 in the PM2.5 group were significantly increased (P<0.05); MDA, TP, LDH, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 were significantly decreased (P<0.05).
Conclusion Taking a certain dose of chitosan in advance has a certain intervention effect on PM2.5-induced lung injury.