Glutathione peroxidase-1 protects against cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation in mice

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from cigarette smoke cause oxidative lung damage including protein denaturation, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (gpx-1) is a detoxifying enzyme that may protect lungs from such damage. The aim of this study was to determine whether gpx-1 protects the lung against oxidative stress-induced lung inflammation in vivo. Male wild-type (WT) or gpx-1-/- mice were exposed to cigarette smoke generated from nine cigarettes per day for 4 days to induce oxidative stress and lung inflammation. The effect of the gpx mimetic ebselen on cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation was evaluated when given prophylactically and therapeutically, ..