Quercetin ameliorates acute lung injury in a rat model of hepatopulmonary syndrome

Noha Abdel-Aziz Nassef; Manal S Abd-El Hamid; Samy A Abusikkien; Asmaa Ibrahim Ahmed

doi:10.1186/s12906-022-03785-w

Quercetin ameliorates acute lung injury in a rat model of hepatopulmonary syndrome

BMC Complement Med Ther. 2022 Dec 3;22(1):320. doi: 10.1186/s12906-022-03785-w.

Authors

Noha Abdel-Aziz Nassef¹, Manal S Abd-El Hamid², Samy A Abusikkien³, Asmaa Ibrahim Ahmed⁴

Affiliations

¹ Assistant Professor of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
² Assistant Professor of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Dr_manalsaid@med.asu.edu.eg.
³ Lecturer of Anatomy, Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Assistant Professor of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Common bile duct ligation (BDL) is a rat experimental model to induce biliary cirrhosis. Lung fibrosis and pulmonary vascular angiogenesis and congestion are the most common complications of biliary cirrhosis that is known as hepatopulmonary syndrome. The aim of the present work is to investigate the acute lung injury in a BDL model and to investigate the possible protective effect of quercetin on this injury.

Methods: Twenty-four adult male albino rats of the Wister strain (weighing 150-250 g). Animals were divided into 3 groups, with 8 rats each: Group I: Sham-operated group (control). Group II: Bile duct ligation group (BDL) sacrificed after 28 days from the surgery. Group III: Quercetin-treated bile duct ligation group (Q-BDL) was given orally by gastric gavage in a dose of 50 mg/kg/day, starting from the 4th day of the operation until the 28th day. At the end of the experiment, at day 28, all rats were sacrificed. Lung specimens were processed to measure Endothelin B receptor gene expression by PCR, lung surfactant by ELISA, "eNO" s by immunohistochemistry. Histological assessment was done using; H&E, Masson's trichrome, PAS, toluidine blue-stained semi-thin sections, transmission electron microscope. Histomorphometric and statistical studies were done.

Results: BDL group showed significant increase in lung index together with mononuclear cellular infiltration denoting lung inflammatory state. Also, the significant increase in pulmonary endothelial nitric oxide synthase ("eNO" s) area percent and endothelin B receptor (ET_B) gene expression indicates enhanced angiogenesis. Pulmonary surfactant concentration was significantly decreased together with thickening of interalveolar septa denoting lung injury and fibrosis. Quercetin led to significant decrease in lung index, pulmonary "eNO" s area percent, ET_B gene expression and significant increase in pulmonary surfactant concentration. Quercetin treatment improved histological changes and morphometric measurements, limited mononuclear cellular infiltration and decreased perivascular and perialveolar collagen deposition.

Conclusion: Quercetin ameliorates the hepatopulmonary syndrome-induced lung injury through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and antifibrotic effects.

Keywords: Quercetin- hepatopulmonary-endothelin B receptor-bile duct ligation.

MeSH terms

Acute Lung Injury* / drug therapy
Animals
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome* / drug therapy
Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary*
Male
Pulmonary Surfactants*
Quercetin / pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Receptor, Endothelin B

Substances

Quercetin
Receptor, Endothelin B
Pulmonary Surfactants