Jia Song,1 Jiancheng Zhang,2 Jun Shi,2 Xuming Pan,2 Dayu Mo3 

1Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Dayu Mo, Department of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 318 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310005, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13857197190, Email modayu@zcmu.edu.cn

Background: Breviscapine has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects in ameliorating acute lung injury (ALI), yet its potential therapeutic value and molecular mechanisms in sepsis-induced ALI remain unexplored.
Methods: We utilized network pharmacology approach to identify the potential targets and mechanisms of breviscapine in treating sepsis-induced ALI. To construct a murine model of sepsis, we performed cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to respectively determine the pathologic changes and levels of inflammatory factors. Neutrophil count and total protein level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by corresponding kit. Additionally, we utilized flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) to detect cell apoptosis, protein expression, and gene expression. Finally, we used ELISA kits to detect the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and caspase-8 (CASP8).
Results: Breviscapine was revealed to target 81 potential proteins in the treatment of sepsis-induced ALI, while CASP8 was the most important one as demonstrated by network analysis. In vivo experiments demonstrated that breviscapine effectively reduced the severity of sepsis-induced ALI and inflammation, and significantly suppressed neutrophil infiltration in the lung tissues of CLP mice and promoted neutrophil apoptosis in the peripheral blood. In vitro experiments revealed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neutrophil apoptosis was inhibited, and the expression and activity of CASP8 were down-regulated. Breviscapine intervention markedly up-regulated the expression and activity of CASP8, consequently activating neutrophil apoptosis and inhibiting inflammatory response by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Conclusion: Breviscapine is remarkably effective in improving sepsis-induced ALI, and its mechanism of action may be to induce neutrophil apoptosis, inhibit inflammatory overreaction and reduce its infiltration in pulmonary tissues by up-regulating the expression and activity of CASP8.

Keywords: Breviscapine, acute lung injury, sepsis, network pharmacology, neutrophil