Carvedilol attenuates experimentally induced silicosis in rats via modulation of P-AKT/mTOR/TGFβ1 signaling

Silicosis is a well acknowledged occupational lung disorder with considerable negative impact on the patients' quality of life. Various signaling pathways have been reported to interplay in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibro-proliferative disorders; of which, P-AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The current study highlights the potential pulmonary protective effect of carvedilol; a non-selective alpha/beta blocker against experimental silicosis-induced in rats by the intranasal installation of silica (50 mg/rat, 1 ml 0.9% NaCl). Carvedilol (20 mg/kg, orally) was administered for 8 weeks post intranasal silica installation. Carvedilol significantly attenuated silica-induced pulmonary damage on all the investigated scales. Inflammatory, oxidative/anti-oxidative and fibrotic incidences significantly improved with a significant histopathological restoration of lung architecture and attenuation of inflammatory and fibrotic biomarkers expression. Carvedilol significantly reduced lung contents of P-AKT and mTOR which, appears to be the main mechanism underlying the pulmonary protective effect of carvedilol. In conclusion; carvedilol attenuated silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis by modulating P-AKT/mTOR/TGF beta 1 signaling and underlying inflammatory and fibrotic sequel.