Effect of curcumin on IL-17A mediated pulmonary AMPK kinase/cyclooxygenase-2 expressions via activation of NFκB in bleomycin-induced acute lung injury in vivo

Acute lung injury (ALI) remains to be the major cause of mortality. Bleomycin (BLM) injury activates the proinflammatory cytokine Interleukin L-17A which regulates the expression of COX-2 and inhibits P-AMPK alpha in BLM/IL-17A exposed mice upon activation of NF kappa B and other inflammatory molecules the actual mechanism behind which remains unclear. The current investigation was carried out to assess the role of IL-17A with COX-2 and P-AMPK alpha and to highlight the important contribution of adjunctive use of curcumin as a promising preventive strategy for the BLM-induced ALI. Immunofluorescence analysis reveals that the natural spice curcumin blocks the expressions of COX-2, NF-kappa B-p65, fibronectin (FBN), and expresses P-AMPK alpha in vivo. Curcumin could also suppress the expressions of NF-kappa B-p105 in BLM/IL-17A exposed mice. mRNA expressions showed reduced expressions of PDGFA, PDGFB, CTGF, IGF1, NF kappa B1, NF kappa B2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-14 on curcumin treatment. Our study implicates a critical role of AMPK alpha/COX-2 in the emergence of pulmonary fibrosis via exerting the potential role of curcumin as an adjuvant anti-inflammatory therapeutic for treating lung injury.