Maresin 1 attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction through the ALX/cAMP/ROS pathway in the cecal ligation and puncture mouse model and sepsis patients.

Inflammation always accompanies infection during sepsis. Mitochondrial dysfunction and the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by mitochondria have been proposed in the pathogenesis of sepsis. Maresins have protective and resolving effects in experimental models of infection. In the present study, we investigated the effects of maresin 1 (MaR1) on mitochondrial function in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis and sepsis patients to identify mechanisms underlying maresin 1-mediated stimulation of ROS in mitochondria. We found that treatment with MaR1 significantly inhibited production of cytokines, decreased bacterial load in the peritoneal lavage fluid, reduced the number of neutrophils, decreased lactic acid level and upregulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration, with the outcome of decreased lung injury in CLP-induced sepsis in mice. The effects of MaR1 on downregulation nitric oxide (NOX) activity, improvement CAT and SOD activity to inhibit ROS production in mitochondria was dependent on lipoxin receptor (ALX) and cAMP. Survival rates were significantly increased after the treatment of mice with MaR1. In BMDM stimulated with LPS, MaR1 inhibited the ROS production, downregulated enzyme activity, reduced mtO2 production, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, improved adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number. Finally, the effects of MaR1 on ROS production in the blood of healthy volunteers stimulated with LPS or sepsis patients were associated with ALX and cAMP. Taken together, these data suggest that treatment with MaR1 could attenuate mitochondrial dysfunction during sepsis through regulating ROS production.

Resolvin D1 Improves the Resolution of Inflammation via Activating NF-κB p50/p50-Mediated Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe illness characterized by uncontrolled inflammation. The resolution of inflammation is a tightly regulated event controlled by endogenous mediators, such as resolvin D1 (RvD1). Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been reported to promote inflammation, along with PGE2, in the initiation of inflammation, as well as in prompting resolution, with PGD2 acting in the later phase of inflammation. Our previous work demonstrated that RvD1 enhanced COX-2 and PGD2 expression to resolve inflammation. In this study, we investigated mechanisms underlying the effect of RvD1 in modulating proresolving COX-2 expression. In a self-limited ARDS model, an LPS challenge induced the biphasic activation of COX-2, and RvD1 promoted COX-2 expression during the resolution phase. However, it was significantly blocked by treatment of a NF-κB inhibitor. In pulmonary fibroblasts, NF-κB p50/p50 was shown to be responsible for the proresolving activity of COX-2. Additionally, RvD1 potently promoted p50 homodimer nuclear translocation and robustly triggered DNA-binding activity, upregulating COX-2 expression via lipoxin A4 receptor/formyl peptide receptor 2. Finally, the absence of p50 in knockout mice prevented RvD1 from promoting COX-2 and PGD2 expression and resulted in excessive pulmonary inflammation. In conclusion, RvD1 expedites the resolution of inflammation through activation of lipoxin A4 receptor/formyl peptide receptor 2 receptor and NF-κB p50/p50-COX-2 signaling pathways, indicating that RvD1 might have therapeutic potential in the management of ARDS.

Maresin1 stimulates alveolar fluid clearance through the alveolar epithelial sodium channel Na,K-ATPase via the ALX/PI3K/Nedd4-2 pathway.

Maresin1 (MaR1) is a new docosahexaenoic acid-derived pro-resolving agent that promotes the resolution of inflammation. In this study, we sought to investigate the effect and underlining mechanisms of MaR1 in modulating alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) on LPS-induced acute lung injury. MaR1 was injected intravenously or administered by instillation (200 ng/kg) 8 h after LPS (14 mg/kg) administration and AFC was measured in live rats. In primary rat alveolar type II epithelial cells, MaR1 (100 nM) was added to the culture medium with lipopolysaccharide for 6 h. MaR1 markedly stimulated AFC in LPS-induced lung injury, with the outcome of decreased pulmonary edema and lung injury. In addition, rat lung tissue protein was isolated after intervention, and we found MaR1 improved epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) protein expression and Na,K-ATPase activity. MaR1 down-regulated Nedd4-2 protein expression though PI3k/Akt but not though PI3k/SGK1 pathway in vivo. In primary rat alveolar type II epithelial cells stimulated with LPS, MaR1-upregulated ENaC and Na,K-ATPase protein abundance in the plasma membrane. Finally, the lipoxin A4 Receptor inhibitor (BOC-2) and PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) not only blocked MaR1's effects on cAMP/cGMP, the expression of phosphorylated Akt and Nedd4-2, but also inhibited the effect of MaR1 on AFC in vivo. In conclusion, MaR1 stimulates AFC through a mechanism partly dependent on alveolar epithelial ENaC and Na,K-ATPase activation via the ALX/PI3K/Nedd4-2 signaling pathway. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism for pulmonary edema fluid reabsorption and MaR1 may provide a new therapy for the resolution of ALI/ARDS.