Polysaccharide from Spirulina platensis improves sepsis-induced acute lung injury by alleviating inflammatory response and down-regulating endocan expression in rats

Abstract

To explore the favourable functions of polysaccharide from Spirulina platensis (PSP) on sepsis-originated acute lung injury, together with the corresponding mechanisms. 60 male SD rats were randomly separated into sham, sepsis, and sepsis+PSP group with 20 rats in each group. Sepsis rat model was constructed by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The mortality and sepsis-related symptoms were used to judge the model success. CLP successfully established the sepsis-caused acute lung injury rat model. In sepsis rats, systemic inflammation and pulmonary inflammation, as well as endocan protein level were increased. PSP treatment improved sepsis-induced acute lung injury and systemic inflammation, and reduced the endocan protein level. Lung injury biomarkers were positively correlated with serum pro-inflammatory factors/serum endocan protein, while serum pro-inflammatory factors were positively associated with serum endocan level. PSP ameliorates acute lung injury via relieving inflammatory response and down-regulating endocan expression in sepsis rat.