Regulating effects of montelukast sodium on Th1Th2 cells balance and related cytokines levels in rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

ObjectiveTo observe the regulating effects of montelukast sodium (MK) on the balance of Th1Th2 cells and levels of related cytokines in rats with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

MethodsSixty healthy SPF SD rats, 3 weeks of gestation and weighing 200-250g, were randomly selected for the experiment, and 60 natural born SD rats and newborn rats were divided into the BPD model treated with MK group (MK group), BPD model group (BPD group) and normoxia feeding control group (control group) (20 rats in each group), respectively.The MK group and BPD group were fed in 95% hyperoxia environment, the MK group was intraperitoneally injected with 10mg·kg^-1·d^-1 of MK, and the BPD group was injected with the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution.The control group was injected with the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution, and fed in the normoxic environment.The lung function, macrophage subsets, Th cell subsets and levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were compared among three groups.

ResultsThe levels of Ri, Re, Th1, Th1/Th2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 in BPD group were higher than those in MK group and those in MK group were higher than those in control group (P < 0.05).The levels of Cl, MVV, FEV1/FVC, Th2 in BPD group were lower than those in MK group, and those in MK group were lower than those in control group (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsMK can regulate the balance of Th1Th2 cells, and reduce the levels of related cytokines in rats with BPD.