[Inhibitory effect of melatonin on the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB during acute lung injury in rats].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of melatonin (MT) on lung tissue during acute lung injury (ALI) in rats and its possible mechanism.

Methods: Ninety-six Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, dexamethasone (DEX) and MT treatment group, with 24 rats in each group. Rat model of ALI was established by instilling LPS intratracheally, and DEX and MT were injected intraperitoneally. All rats in each group were sacrificed at 3, 6 and 12 hours after intratracheal instillation of LPS, and lung tissue samples were harvested. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in lung tissue samples were detected in each group. In addition, the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) was assessed with immunohistochemistry staining in lung tissues.

Results: Compared with control group, SOD activity in LPS group decreased at different time points significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but MPO activity, MDA content and the expression of NF-kappaB increased obviously (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the administration of MT and DEX could mitigate above values significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The changes in above each indexes were most obvious at 6 hours, either reaching the peak or the trough, respectively.

Conclusion: MT possesses protective effect on lung tissues during ALI through scavenging free radicals and inhibiting the activation of NF-kappaB.