Andrographolide attenuates oxidative stress injury in cigarette smoke extract exposed macrophages through inhibiting SIRT1/ERK signaling.

Andrographolide (AG), an ingredient extracted from traditional Chinese herbal medicine Andrographis paniculata, has been demonstrated to have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how AG attenuated CSE-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and oxidative stress in RAW 264.7 cells (a mouse macrophages line). The results showed that AG significantly reduced CSE-induced upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNF-α and IL-1ß) in the RAW 264.7 cells. AG inhibited CSE-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevented the reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio, indicating the anti-oxidative stress effects of AG in macrophages. AG also improved mitochondrial function and mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, AG inhibited CSE-induced increase of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-12. Moreover, AG increased SIRT1 transcription and expression, suggesting AG inhibits mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and oxidative stress via a SIRT1 dependent signaling. We also demonstrated that AG inhibited CSE-induced ERK phosphorylation, and treatment with PD980589, a ERK inhibitor, reversed CSE-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. These results indicated that AG may prevent COPD via the inhibition of SIRT1/ERK signaling pathway, and subsequently inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress in macrophages.

Circulating Neutrophil Counts Decrease in Response to Mitigated Air Quality in Stable COPD Patients.

This three-year study, based on the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease (GRID), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Biobank, was conducted in 36 COPD patients to estimate whether changes in levels of leukocytes, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and platelets were related to changes in air pollutant concentration. Daily NO2 levels exhibited significant differences between baseline years and the 2010 Asian Game period. We observed significant reductions in leukocyte and neutrophils counts levels, by 15.51% and 23.01%, from pre-Asian Games to during-Asian Games, respectively. In the post-Asian Game period, most pollutants approximated pre-Asian Game period levels, and similar effects were demonstrated in leukocyte and neutrophil counts. For both items, we identified significant increases resulting from elevated NO2 at lag days 0-2/5-6. We concluded that reductions in pollutants during the intervention period were associated with inactivation of hematological events in COPD.