Argun Baris Serap, Baris Ozgur, Kaya Huseyin, Karasal Guliyev Elif, Olsen Cenk Anil, Vural Cigdem, Boyaci Hasim, Basyigit Ilknur
Department of Chest Diseases, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey.
BMC Pulm Med. 2025 Mar 28;25(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s12890-025-03608-x.
The process of aging is characterized by a series of physiological, cellular, and immunological changes in tissues. Bempedoic acid is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol-lowering drug that does not belong to the statin class. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of bempedoic acid on age-related histopathological alterations in rat lungs.
A total of 40 Wistar-Albino male rats (275-357 g) were included in the study, with 10 rats in each experimental group [Young control (YC), Young + Bempedoic acid (YD), Elderly control (EC), Elderly + Bempedoic acid (ED)]. Bempedoic acid (30 mg/kg/day) was administered orally for one month. The rats were housed under controlled conditions to minimize external stressors. The Geropathological Grading System (GGP) was used to standardize the evaluation of age-related findings in the lungs. Some lesions were classified as either present or absent, whereas others were evaluated on a scale of 0-4 according to their severity. Composite lesion scores were calculated for each rat. Additionally, the presence and severity of emphysema in the rat lungs were recorded.
Although the median composite lesion score was higher in the elderly groups, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.7). The distribution of cells associated with passive congestion, heart failure, and atelectasis was higher in the elderly drug group (p = 0.024 and p = 0.015, respectively). The prevalence of perivascular inflammation was significantly higher in the elderly control group compared to the other groups. Moreover, no cases of moderate-to-severe perivascular inflammation were observed in the elderly drug group (p = 0.019). The prevalence of severe emphysema was higher in the elderly control group compared to the other groups, whereas no cases of severe emphysema were observed in the elderly drug group (p = 0.044).
It is hypothesized that statins, a class of antihyperlipidemic drugs, exert a protective effect against aging due to their ability to correct oxidative damage. Similarly, bempedoic acid's effect on fat oxidation and cholesterol metabolism may be associated with its protective role in the lungs.
衰老过程的特征是组织中发生一系列生理、细胞和免疫变化。贝派地酸是一种抗氧化、抗炎且降胆固醇的药物，不属于他汀类药物。本研究的目的是评估贝派地酸对大鼠肺部与年龄相关的组织病理学改变的影响。
本研究共纳入40只Wistar白化雄性大鼠（体重275 - 357克），每个实验组有10只大鼠[年轻对照组（YC）、年轻 + 贝派地酸组（YD）、老年对照组（EC）、老年 + 贝派地酸组（ED）]。贝派地酸（30毫克/千克/天）口服给药1个月。大鼠饲养在可控条件下以尽量减少外部应激源。采用老年病理学分级系统（GGP）对肺部与年龄相关的发现进行标准化评估。一些病变分为存在或不存在，而其他病变则根据其严重程度按0 - 4级进行评估。计算每只大鼠的综合病变评分。此外，记录大鼠肺部肺气肿的存在情况和严重程度。
尽管老年组的中位综合病变评分较高，但差异无统计学意义（p = 0.7）。老年药物组中与被动性充血、心力衰竭和肺不张相关的细胞分布较高（分别为p = 0.024和p = 0.015）。与其他组相比，老年对照组血管周围炎症的患病率显著更高。此外，老年药物组未观察到中度至重度血管周围炎症病例（p = 0.019）。与其他组相比，老年对照组重度肺气肿的患病率更高，而老年药物组未观察到重度肺气肿病例（p = 0.044）。
据推测，一类抗高脂血症药物他汀类因其纠正氧化损伤的能力而对衰老具有保护作用。同样，贝派地酸对脂肪氧化和胆固醇代谢的作用可能与其在肺部的保护作用有关。
