Anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic treatment in a rodent model of acute lung injury induced by sulfur dioxide

Inhalation of sulfur dioxide (SOFemale Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to SOBoth treatment approaches significantly reduced the total leukocyte response in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and suppressed pulmonary edema. In contrast to DEX-treatment, PFD-treatment reduced the methacholine-induced AHR to almost control levels and partially suppressed the acute mucosal damage whereas multiple DEX-treatment was the only treatment that reduced collagen formation in lung tissue.To enable an accurate extrapolation of animal derived data to humans, a detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the injury, and potential treatment options, is needed. The findings of the present study suggest that treatments with the capability to reduce both AHR, the inflammatory response, and fibrosis are needed to achieve a comprehensive mitigation of the acute lung injury caused by SO