1. β-sitosterol ameliorates inflammation and Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in a mouse model
- Author
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Alice Rossi, Alessandra Bragonzi, Melessike Medede, Ida De Fino, Giuseppe Lippi, Marco Prosdocimi, Anna Tamanini, Giulio Cabrini, and Maria Cristina Dechecchi
- Subjects
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,β-sitosterol, inflammation, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, CYstic Fibrosis ,inflammation ,β-sitosterol ,Pseudomonas aeruginosa ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,CYstic Fibrosis - Abstract
We previously demonstrated that β-sitosterol (BSS) inhibits the expression of the chemokine IL-8 in CF bronchial epithelial cells exposed to P. aeruginosa. In the mouse model of lung chronic infection, herein shown, BSS significantly reduced leukocyte recruitment in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and decreased bacteria recovered in the airways. Treatment with BSS decreased the expression of key cytokines involved in immune response, mainly neutrophil chemotaxis, in the lung homogenate. This anti-inflammatory activity is accompanied by a beneficial protecting activity against infection and improvement of health status. Our data suggest that BSS has the potential to become a new drug to target the excessive neutrophil recruitment in lungs chronically infected by P. aeruginosa and encourage future investigations on mechanism of protection driven by BSS.
- Published
- 2023
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