Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2024, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (7): 733-737.doi: 10.11958/20231352

• Experimental Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of GABA signaling pathway on endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial autophagy in septic rats with acute lung injury

ZHONG Min1(), SHI Zhen2,(), ZHOU Jinsong2, LI Jinjie2   

  1. 1 The First Clinical College of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430000, China
    2 Department of Pain, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Received:2023-09-05 Revised:2023-11-22 Published:2024-07-15 Online:2024-07-11
  • Contact: E-mail:anbair3359@163.com

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling pathway on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial autophagy in septic rats with acute lung injury (ALI). Methods SD rats were randomly grouped into the control (CON) group, the model group, the GABA signaling pathway activator Baclofen group (the Baclofen group), the GABA signaling pathway inhibitor dicentrine group (the BIC group), with 6 rats in each group. The Baclofen group received intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg Baclofen, and the BIC group received intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg BIC, once a day, for two consecutive weeks. The CON group and the model group were injected with an equal amount of physiological saline via intraperitoneal injection. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was applied to detect serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and levels of cytochrome C (Cyt.C) and Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied to observe the ultrastructure of lung tissue cells. HE staining was applied to observe the pathological morphology of lung tissue. TUNEL staining was applied to observe the apoptosis of lung tissue. Western blot assay was applied to detect expression levels of GABAAR, GRP78 and CHOP proteins in lung tissue. Results Compared with the model group, the lung swelling, congestion and inflammatory cell infiltration were improved in the Baclofen group, and the lung injury score, MDA content, apoptosis index, Cyt.C and NADPH levels, GRP78, and CHOP protein levels were reduced (P<0.05). The number of autophagic vacuoles in phagocytic mitochondria, SOD content and GABAAR protein level were increased (P<0.05), however, the trend of above indicators in the BIC group was opposite to that in the Baclofen group. Conclusion Up-regulation of GABA signaling pathway may have an improvement effect on ALI in sepsis rats.

Key words: sepsis, acute lung injury, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitophagy, gamma-aminobutyric acid

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