No abstract

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) with an average aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 µm can cause severe lung injury. Oxidative stress and inflammation are considered the main outcomes of PM 2.5 exposure. curcumin is a well-known antioxidant; however, its effect on PM 2.5 -induced oxidative injury in airway epithelial cells remains unclear. In the present study, it was demonstrated that pre-treatment with curcumin significantly reduced the PM 2.5 -induced apoptosis of BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells by decreasing the level of intercellular reactive oxygen species. Western blot analysis revealed that curcumin increased the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and regulated the transcription of downstream genes, particularly those encoding antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, curcumin reduced the PM 2.5 -induced expression and production of inflammatory factors, and induced the expression of the anti-inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that curcumin protects BEAS-2B cells against PM 2.5 -induced oxidative damage and inflammation, and prevents cell apoptosis by increasing the activation of NRF2-related pathways. It is thus suggested that curcumin may be a potential compound for use in the prevention of PM 2.5 -induced tissue injury.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease caused by chronic bronchitis, which seriously threatens the life safety of patients. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has great advantages in its treatment. Here, we explore the effect of NIPPV on prognosis and blood gas level in COPD patients complicated with respiratory failure (RF). A case control study was retrospectively analyzed, where 36 COPD patients with RF were regarded as the regular group to carry on the routine treatment, and 42 patients were assigned to the research group to carry out the routine treatment plus NIPPV. The monofactorial analysis showed that the overall response rate, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC in the research group were higher than those in the regular group, while partial pressure of arterial carbondioxide (PaCO2), posttreatment endotracheal intubation (EI), length of stay (LOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scores in the research group were lower than those in the regular group. These results indicated that NIPPV can improve the curative effect of emergency medicine patients with RF, improve BG level and PF, reduce inflammation, and facilitate patient’s recovery.