Green tea extract inhibits paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppression of oxidative stress and endothelin-l expression

Lung. 2006 Sep-Oct;184(5):287-95. doi: 10.1007/s00408-005-2592-x.

Abstract

Paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis involves two factors, direct injury by oxygen free radicals and indirect injury by inflammatory cells and fibroblasts. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been shown to act as a mediator of pulmonary fibrosis, and its formation increases during oxidative stress. We investigated whether green tea extract (GTE), which has antioxidant properties, inhibits paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis and whether ET-1 is involved in this process. Paraquat (0.3 mg/kg) was instilled into the right lungs of rats, following which the rats were either not further treated (Group P, n = 7), or they were administered 1% GTE mixed with feed (Group PG; n = 7) or the ET(A) receptor antagonist ZD2574 (10 mg/kg through gavage; Group PZ; n = 7) for two weeks. As control, we used rats instilled with saline (Group N; n = 6). Two weeks after paraquat instillation, we assayed the degree of pulmonary fibrosis by light microscopic morphometry and hydroxyproline content; lipid peroxidation as a marker of oxidative stresses by measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA); ET-1 by immunohistochemistry; and prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Compared with Group N, significant pulmonary fibrosis was observed in Group P, accompanied by increases in MDA, ET-1, and prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression. Compared with Group P, Group PG showed significant decreases in pulmonary fibrosis, along with decreases in MDA, ET-1, and prepro-ET-1 mRNA expression. We also observed significant decreases in pulmonary fibrosis in Group PZ compared with Group P. These findings suggest that GTE inhibits paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppression of oxidative stress and ET-1 expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Camellia sinensis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endothelin-1 / biosynthesis
  • Endothelin-1 / genetics*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects*
  • Herbicides / toxicity
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Paraquat / toxicity
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / metabolism
  • RNA / genetics*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Endothelin-1
  • Herbicides
  • Plant Extracts
  • green tea extract AR25
  • Malondialdehyde
  • RNA
  • Paraquat