The Therapeutic Potential of (+)-Afzelechin for Alleviating Sepsis-Associated Pulmonary Injury

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI) poses a common and formidable challenge in clinical practice, currentlylacking efficacious therapeutic approaches. This study delves into the evaluation of (+)-afzelechin (AZC), a naturalcompound derived from Bergenia ligulata with a diverse array of properties, encompassing antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial,and cardiovascular effects to ascertain its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms in mitigating sepsis-inducedALI through animal experimentation. An ALI mouse model induced by sepsis was established through lipopolysaccharide(LPS) administration, and various analytical techniques, including quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Westernblotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were employed to gauge inflammatory cytokine levels, lung injury, andassociated signaling pathways. The animal experiments revealed that AZC offered safeguards against lung injury induced byLPS while reducing inflammatory cytokine levels in both blood serum and lung tissue. Western blotting experiments revealedAZC’s downregulation of the toll-like receptor (TLR)4/NF-jB pathway and the upregulation of PI3K/Akt, coupled withinhibition of the Hippo and Rho signaling pathways. These findings underscore AZC’s efficacy in ameliorating sepsis-inducedALI by modulating cytokine storms and curtailing inflammation via the regulation of TLR4/NF-jB, PI3K/Akt, Hippo, andRho signaling pathways. This work serves as a foundation for additional exploration into AZC’s mechanisms and its potentialas a therapy for sepsis-induced ALI. Animals in accordance with Kyungpook National University (IRB No. KNU 2022-174).