Neutrophil elastase (NE) plays an important role in the progression of
acute lung injury (ALI).
Sivelestat sodium hydrate (
Sivelestat) is a highly specific synthetic inhibitor of NE. High mobility group box 1 (
HMGB1) is one of the key mediators in the development of
sepsis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of
sivelestat and to determine whether it can reduce
lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced
acute lung injury in rats. Rats were randomly divided into a negative control group, an LPS-induced
sepsis group, and a group treated with
sivelestat prior to LPS administration. Animals in the
sivelestat group received a bolus of 10 mg/kg of
sivelestat injected into the intraperitoneal cavity before the LPS treatment. Furthermore, rats were administered
sivelestat at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h following LPS treatment. We measured
cytokine and
HMGB1 levels in the serum after the induction of
sepsis. In addition, we observed histopathology, wet/dry weight ratio,
inducible nitric oxide synthase and
HMGB1 expression in the lung tissue. Lung histopathology was significantly improved in the
sivelestat group compared to the LPS group. Serum and pulmonary
HMGB1 levels were lower over time among
sivelestat-treated animals. Furthermore, inhibition of
NF-kappaB activity was observed with the administration of
sivelestat. These results suggest that
sivelestat reduces LPS-induced
lung injury at least partially by inhibiting
inflammation and
NF-kappaB activity.