Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide on LPS-induced MMP-9 expression by alveolar macrophages in rats / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on LPS-induced MMP-9 expression by alveolar macrophages (AM) in rats.@*METHODS@#LPS-induced cultured Wistar rats AMs were treated with different concentrations of VIP (10(-10) to approximately 10(-6) mol/L) for 24 h. AMs and the supernatant were collected to measure the MMP-9 expression and activity by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. Results The MMP-9 activity and expression of LPS-induced AMs were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). VIP (10(-9) to approximately 10(-6) mol/L) down-regulated LPS-induced MMP-9 activity and its expression. The effects were diminished by H-7 and W-7, an antagonist of protein kinase C (PKC) and calmodulin (CaM) (P < 0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#VIP can decrease LPS-induced MMP-9 activity and its expression, which may be related to protein kinase C and calmodulin pathway. VIP may have protective roles in the lung injury.