Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2013 Jun;17(3):209-216. 10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.3.209.

Protective Effect of Phosphatidylcholine on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Inflammation in Multiple Organ Injury

• Jung YY
• Nam Y
• Park YS
• Lee HS
• Hong SA
• Kim BK
• Park ES
• Chung YH
• Jeong JH

• KMID: 1429300
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.3.209

Abstract

Soybean polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PC) is thought to exert anti-inflammatory activities and has potent effects in attenuating acute renal failure and liver dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PC in protecting multiple organ injury (MOI) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six groups of rats (N=8) were used in this study. Three groups acted as controls and received only saline, hydrocortisone (HC, 6 mg/kg, i.v.) or PC (600 mg/kg, i.p.) without LPS (15 mg/kg, i.p.) injections. Other 3 groups, as the test groups, were administered saline, HC or PC in the presence of LPS. Six hours after the LPS injection, blood and organs (lung, liver and kidney) were collected from each group to measure inflammatory cytokines and perform histopathology and myeloperoxidase (MPO) assessment. Serum cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10) and MPO activities were significantly increased, and significant histopathological changes in the organs were observed by LPS challenge. These findings were significantly attenuated by PC or HC. The treatment with PC or HC resulted in a significant attenuation on the increase in serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6, pro-inflammatory cytokines, while neither PC nor HC significantly attenuated serum levels of IL-10, anti-inflammatory cytokine. In the organs, the enhanced infiltration of neutrophils and expression of ED2 positive macrophage were attenuated by PC or HC. Inductions of MPO activity were also significantly attenuated by PC or HC. From the findings, we suggest that PC may be a functional material for its use as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Keyword

Kidney; Liver; Lung; LPS; Phosphatidylcholine

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Animals
Cytokines
Hydrocortisone
Inflammation
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Kidney
Liver
Liver Diseases
Lung
Macrophages
Neutrophils
Peroxidase
Phosphatidylcholines
Rats
Soybeans
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Cytokines
Hydrocortisone
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-6
Peroxidase
Phosphatidylcholines
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Effects of phosphatidylchoine (PC) on serum level of TNF-α (A), IL6 (B) and IL10 (C) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed rats. The levels of cytokines were significantly increased at 6 h after LPS injection. Pretreatment with PC (600 mg/kg, i.p.) showed protective effects on this LPS-induced increase in TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Treatment with hydrocortisone (HC, 6 mg/kg, i.v.) also attenuated the magnitude of the increase in both cytokines. Each value is the mean±SEM of 8 mice. **p<0.01 vs. LPS+Saline, ##p<0.01 vs. LPS+PC (one-way ANOVA followed by Turkey's post-test).

• 

  Fig. 2 Effects of PC on LPS-induced morphological changes and PMN infiltrations in lung. Representative micrographs are illustrated. An increase in PMN infiltration and thickening of alveolar septa were observed in lung tissue after LPS administration. These morphological changes were ameliorated by either HC or PC. (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Hematoxylin and eosin staining; magnification, 400×).

• 

  Fig. 3 Effects of PC on LPS-induced morphological changes and PMN infiltrations in liver. Representative micrographs are illustrated. An increase in PMN infiltration was observed in liver tissue after LPS administration. Treatment with either HC or PC ameliorated the increase in PMN infiltrations. (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Hematoxylin and eosin staining; magnification, 400×).

• 

  Fig. 4 Effects of PC on LPS-induced morphological changes and PMN infiltrations in kidney. Representative micrographs are illustrated. There are no significant effects of PC or HC on kidney tissue as compared to effects on lung and liver (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Hematoxylin and eosin staining; magnification, 400×).

• 

  Fig. 5 Effects of PC on LPS-induced ED2-positive cell expression in lung. Immunohistochemistry was performed after LPS exposure. Treatment with the PC led to the attenuation of the level of ED2 positive macrophages. Representative micrographs are illustrated. (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Magnification, 400×).

• 

  Fig. 6 Effects of PC on LPS-induced ED2-positive cell expression in liver. Immunohistochemistry was performed after LPS exposure. Treatment with the PC led to the attenuation of the level of ED2 positive macrophages. Representative micrographs are illustrated. (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Magnification, 400×).

• 

  Fig. 7 Effects of PC on LPS-induced ED2-positive cell expression in kidney. Treatment with the PC led to the attenuation of the level of ED2 positive macrophages. Representative micrographs are illustrated. (A) Saline+Saline (B) Saline+HC, (C) Saline+PC, (D) LPS+Saline, (E) LPS+HC and (F) LPS+PC (Magnification, 400×).

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