High DHA tuna oil alleviated cigarette smoking exposure induced lung inflammation via the regulation of gut microbiota and serum metabolites

Abstract

In this study, the dose-dependent beneficial effects of tuna oil (TO) on cigarette smoke exposure induced lung inflammation were investigated. Treatments with low- (LD), moderate- (MD) and high-dosage (HD) of TO reduce the C-reactive protein concentration in serum, significantly down-regulated and up-regulated the mRNA levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the lung, respectively. TO treatment inhibited the activation of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and the NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. In addition, TO treatments reduced the MDA concentration and enhanced the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in serum. What’s more, TO treatment modulated the gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus species and short-chain fatty acid producers and decreasing the abundance of opportunistic pathogens, as well as affecting the amino acid metabolism in serum. This research clarified the anti-inflammatory mechanism of TO on cigarette smoking exposure induced lung inflammation in mice.

Keywords

• Tuna oil
• Cigarette smoke
• Lung inflammation
• Gut microbiota
• Serum metabolite