Abstract:Objective To explore the protective effect of ethyl pyruvate on acute lung injury induced by sepsis and its possible mechanism. Methods Forty healthy adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into 4 groups (n =10 each) using a random number table: normal control group (Normal group) , sham operation group (Sham group), sepsis lung injury group (ALI group) and ethyl pyruvate intervention group (EP group). A rat model of sepsis was prepared by cecal ligation and puncture. In Sham group, the cecum was only flipped but not ligationed and punctured. In EP group, ethyl pyruvate solution (40 mg/kg, every 6 h) was injected intraperitoneally after operation. In Normal, Sham and ALI groups were injected intraperitoneally with the same volume of lactated Ringer’s solution (every 6 h). The rats were killed 24 hours after model establishment. The expression levels of HMGB1, TLR4 and NF-κB in lung homogenate were detected by ELISA. The wet and dry lung weight ratio (W/D) of lung tissue was calculated, and after hematoxylin-eosin staining, pulmonary pathological changes were observed by light microscope. Results The expressions of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB in the lung tissue homogenate and lung tissue W/D were significantly different among groups (P < 0.05); compared with sham group, the expressions of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB and lung tissue W/D in ALI group were increased (P < 0.05); compared with sham group, the expressions of HMGB1, TLR4 , NF-κB and lung tissue W/D in EP group were increased (P < 0.05); compared with ALI group, the expressions of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB and lung tissue W/D in EP group were decreased (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference in each detection index between normal and sham groups (P > 0.05). Under light microscope, the structure of lung tissue was intact in normal and sham groups, there was no edema and inflammation in alveolar septum; in ALI group, the alveolar structure was severely damaged, the alveolar septum was widened, and exudation, hemorrhage and massive inflammatory cell infiltration could be observed in the pulmonary interstitial; compared with ALI group, the alveolar structure of EP group was relatively intact, the alveolar exudation, hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly alleviated. Conclusions Ethyl pyruvate may reduce the inflammatory response and improve the degree of lung injury by inhibiting the activation of HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby providing significant protection against acute lung injury induced by sepsis.