Effects of dexamethasone and N-acetylcysteine on p38 protein kinase induced by lipopolysaccharide in the alveolar macrophages / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

AIM To investigate the activation of p38 protein kinase in alveolar macrophages(AMs) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and the effects of dexamethasone(DEX) and N acetylcysteine(NAC) on the process. METHODS AMs isolated and purified from normal rats were divided into four groupsControl group, LPS stimulated group ,DEX group and NAC group. The activation of p38 protein kinase in nuclear protein extract from the AMs and the concentration of TNF ? and IL 8 in supernatant were measured by Western blot and radioimmunoassay, respectively. RESULTS The activation of p38 protein kinase and the concentration of TNF ?, and IL 8 in LPS stimulated group were significantly higher than those in control group( P