Three Tiaobu Feishen therapies protect human alveolar epithelial cells against cigarette smoking and tumor necrosis factor--induced inflammation by nuclear factor-kappa B pathway.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of Tiaobu Feishen formulae (TBFS), including Bufei Jianpi formula (BJF), Bufei Yishen formula (BYF), and Yiqi Zishen formula (YZF), on inflammatory response, protease-anti-protease imbalance and collagen deposition in rats.

METHODS

In present work, we used an in vitro model of cigarette smoking extract (CSE)- and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced A549 cells to examine the efficacy of BJF, BYF and YZF on the production of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9, and IL-10 in CSE or TNF-α-induced A549 cells. And their related transcription factors and signaling pathway were also analyzed.

RESULTS

The results showed that BJF, BYF and YZF could significantly decrease the expression levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by CSE or TNF-α. Furthermore, BJF, BYF and YZF could suppress CSE- or TNF-α-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factors and its corresponding pathways. Taken together, these data implied that BJF, BYF and YZF effectively inhibited CSE- or TNF-α-induced inflammatory response in alveolar epithelial cell, which was due to their inhibition effect on NF-κB pathways.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the Tiaobu Feishen therapies may protect human alveolar epithelial cells against cigarette smoking and TNF-α-induced inflammation. NF-κB pathway may involve in the actions.