Effect of Ubenimex on Immune Imbalance and Oxidative Stress in Mice with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of ubenimex on immune imbalance and oxidative stress in mice with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). METHODS Fifty mice were randomly divided into 5 groups:blank group, model group, ubenimex group, aminophylline+oxygen group, aminophylline+oxygen+ubenimex group. The blank group was not treated, and the other four groups were induced mice model of COPD. On the 8th day of modeling, ubenimex group was treated with 20 mg·kg^-1 ubenimex; aminophylline+oxygen group was treated with oxygen and aminophylline solution(10 mL·kg^-1); aminophylline+oxygen+ubenimex group was treated with 20 mg·kg^-1 of ubenimex on the basis of aminophylline+oxygen group; the blank group and model group were given the same dose of normal saline, continuous administration for 4 weeks. Lung function of peak inspiratory flow(PIF), peak expiratory flow(PEF), minute volume(MV) were detected by Buxco system and then the mice were sacrificed for collecting blood samples and lung tissue samples. HE staining was used to investigate the pathological changes of lung tissue; flow cytometry to determine CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ levels in blood, and calculate CD4⁺/CD8⁺; serum MDA, SOD, IL-8, TNF-α, and CRP levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS Compared with model group, the pathological damage in ubenimex group, aminophylline+oxygen group and aminophylline+oxygen+ubenimex group were significantly reduced(P<0.01). PIF, PEF, MV and CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ levels of aminophylline+oxygen+ubenimex group were significantly increased(P<0.01), while the CD8⁺ level were significantly decreased(P<0.05). The contents of MDA, SOD, TNF-α, IL-8 and CRP only in aminophylline+oxygen+ubenimex group were all significantly improved compared with model group(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Ubenimex adjuvant therapy can effectively improve lung function and immune level in COPD mice, reduce inflammation and regulate oxidative stress and promote the recovery of lung tissue in COPD mice.