Alpha-lipoic acid ameliorates influenza A virus caused acute pneumonia though enhancement of anti-viral T cell immunity and suppression of macrophage activation by inhibiting ERK1/2 signaling pathway

• ALA exhibits prophylactic potential in influenza A virus induced acute pneumonia. • ALA acts with differing immunomodulatory effects on cytotoxic T cell and macrophage. • ALA hinders viral replication by inhibiting ERK phosphorylation in macrophage. • Pre-treatment with ALA enhances antioxidant capacity in lung epithelial cells. The first outbreak of influenza A virus (IAV), which has been circulating for many decades, has resulted in serious morbidity and mortality. The IAV epidemic has caused serious damage to human life and the economy. Following an IAV infection, lymphatic cells immediately enter the lungs to clear the virus and eliminate damaged cells to maintain normal physiological mechanisms. In this study, we used alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which has versatile antioxidant functions, as a target to treat and evaluate host antiviral effects and immune mechanisms. We observed that pre-treatment with ALA improved the survival rate and pathological state in a mouse model. A reduction in the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha was observed following in vivo experiments. It also increased the release of antiviral cytokines into the lungs by T lymphocytes. ALA pre-treatment effectively prevented acute pneumonia by modulating immune composition and contributing to virus clearance.