Anti-inflammatory Effects of Resveratrol on Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Alveolar Epithelial Cell Dysfunction

Reducing oxidative stress is crucial to prevent hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R)-induced lung injury. Resveratrol has excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and this study investigated its role in H/R-induced type II pneumocyte dysfunction. H/R conditions increased expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β (142.3 ± 21.2%, P < 0.05) and IL-6 (301.9 ± 35.1%, P < 0.01) in a type II alveolar epithelial cell line (A549), while the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (64.6 ± 9.8%, P < 0.05) and surfactant proteins (SPs) decreased. However, resveratrol treatment effectively inhibited these effects. H/R significantly activated an inflammatory transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, while resveratrol significantly inhibited H/R-induced NF-κB transcription activities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing resveratrol-mediated reversal of H/R-induced inflammatory responses and dysfunction of type II pneumocyte cells in vitro. The effects of resveratrol were partially mediated by promoting SP expression and inhibiting inflammation with NF-κB pathway involvement. Therefore, our study provides new insights into mechanisms underlying the action of resveratrol in type II pneumocyte dysfunction.