Water-Soluble C₆₀ Protects Against Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice

Figures & data

Figure 1 Treatment and experimental regimen.

Abbreviations: i.t., injection via the intratracheal route; i.p., intraperitoneal injection; i.g., intragastric administration; qd, once a day; bid, twice a day.

Figure 2 Effect of C₆₀(OH)₂₂ on survival time and body weight. The doses of 1, 10, 100 and 500 mg/kg of C₆₀(OH)₂₂ were administered intraperitoneal injection to the mice for 21 days after intratracheal injection of BLM. Kaplan–Meier survival curves (A) and body weight change (B) were noted.

Abbreviations: NS, no treatment; BLM, bleomycin.

Figure 3 Examination of the antifibrotic effects of C₆₀(OH)₂₂ and pirfenidone on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Chest CT and H&E and Masson-stained sections were observed after BLM or saline administration in the NS, BLM, BLM+C₆₀ and BLM+pirfenidone groups (A). Collagen deposition was monitored by immunohistochemical analysis (A), and date was reported as means ± SD (D). Fibronectin and α-SMA were quantified by Western blot (B). The content of hydroxyproline was determined in lung tissues, which is a marker of collagen deposition (C). *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001.

Abbreviations: NS, no treatment; BLM, bleomycin; HYP, hydroxyproline; col Ι, collagen Ι.

Figure 4 Mechanisms for the therapeutic effect of C₆₀(OH)₂₂ on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The content of ROS was tested in lung tissues (A). AEC II was marked with SPC by immunohistochemistry (B), and date was reported as mean ± SD (C). α-SMA was monitored by immunohistochemical (B), as the marker of fibroblast, and was reported as mean ± SD (D). The expression of TGF-β₁ and TNF-α in lung tissue, BALF and plasma were determined and reported as means ± SD (E and F). *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001; ****P<0.0001.

Abbreviations: NS, no treatment; BLM, bleomycin; SPC, surfactant protein C; AEC II, type 2 alveolar epithelial cells; ROS, reactive oxygen species.