Silicosis is a complex occupational disease without recognized effective treatment. Celastrol, a natural product, has shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic activities, but the narrow therapeutic window and high toxicity severely limit its clinical application. Through structural optimization, we have identified a highly efficient and low-toxicity celastrol derivative, CEL-07. In this study, we systematically investigated the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms of CEL-07 in silicosis fibrosis. By constructing a silicosis mouse model and analyzing with HE, Masson, Sirius Red, and immunohistochemical staining, CEL-07 significantly prevented the progress of inflammation and fibrosis, and it effectively improved the lung respiratory function of silicosis mice. Additionally, CEL-07 markedly suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1α, TNF-α, and TNF-β) and fibrotic factors (α-SMA, collagen I, and collagen III), and promoted apoptosis of fibroblasts by increasing ROS accumulation. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis combined with experimental validation revealed that CEL-07 inhibited the pathways associated with inflammation (PI3K-AKT and JAK2-STAT3) and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Overall, these results suggest that CEL-07 may serve as a potential candidate for the treatment of silicosis.
Keywords: apoptosis; celastrol derivative; fibroblast; pulmonary fibrosis; silicosis.