Objective: To investigate the effects of enalapril on the expressions of IL-1beta and IL-6 in the lung of rats treated with acrolein inhalation.
Methods: Inflammatory lung injury was induced by acrolein inhalation in rats. The rats were divided into natrium solution (NS) group, acrolein group, enalapril and acroclein (EA) group, enalapril and NS (EN) group. Lungs were harvested from the rats in each group at 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks after the treatment of natrium solution, acrolein inhalation and/or enalapril. The mRNA and protein expressions of IL-1beta and IL-6 in the lung tissues were measured by RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
Results: Increased immunostaining, protein level and mRNA expression of IL-1beta and IL-6 were found in rat lung at 3 weeks and reached to the peak at 6 weeks post exposure to acrolein. The administration of enalapril resulted in a significant downregulation of IL-1beta and IL-6 in both protein and gene level, accompany with the decrease of inflammation.
Conclusion: Enalapril, as a ACE inhibitor, could protect the airway from inflammation injury in acrolein-treated rats via the down-regulation of IL-1beta and IL-6 expression.