Resveratrol Alleviates Lung Ischemia and Reperfusion–Induced Pulmonary Capillary Injury Through Modulating Pulmonary Mitochondrial Metabolism

Lung ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is one of the major causes of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction after cardiopulmonary surgery and thoracic organ transplantation. Recent studies suggest that lung I/R injury may be associated with defects in pulmonary mitochondrial function, in addition to damage from reactive oxygen species. In this study, we examined effects of one lung I/R injury on the other lung, and the protective efficacy of resveratrol on mitochondrial biogenesis in lungs. Studies were performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats in 3 groups: sham-operated, lung I/R injury, and treated with resveratrol before lung I/R injury (20 mg/kg/d, orally). Lung ischemia was established by occluding the lung left hilum for 60 minutes, followed by releasing the occlusion and closing the chest. Four days after ischemia, we assessed the lung water content and protein concentration in lung lavage of the nonischemic lung; lung inflammation and pulmonary oxidative stress were assessed by leukocyte counts and tissue content of malondialdehyde (MDA), respectively. The level of mitochondrial biogenesis was determined according to PGC1-α mRNA expression. The left lung I/R injury significantly suppressed right lung PGC1-α mRNA expression, increasing pulmonary oxidative stress, lung water content, and lavage leukocyte count and protein concentration (P < .05). Resveratrol treatment attenuated lung injury as well as increasing PGC1-α mRNA expression. Resveratrol treatment protects lung against I/R injury through improving mitochondrial biogenesis and reducing oxidative stress and leukocyte infiltration.