Objective: To probe into the effects of prednisone on secretion of mucin-5 subtype AC (MUC5AC)

intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced human bronchial epithelial cells. Methods: Primary human bronchial epithelial cells were isolated and identified in vitro. And 1 μg/mL of LPS was used to induce cell inflammatory response. And 5

10

20

40

50

100 μmol/L of prednisone was used as intervention treatment. The levels of MUC5AC

ICAM-1 and IL-6 in cell supernatants was measured by euzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of MUC5AC

ICAM-1

IL-6 mRNA and protein were determined by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western-blot. Immunofluorescence method was used to detect nuclear localization of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation before and after prednisone intervention were determined by Western-blot. Results: Prednisone inhibited the expression levels of MUC5AC

ICAM-1

IL-6 mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner in LPS induced human bronchial epithelial cells. Meanwhile

prednisone suppressed NF-κB

EGFR and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Conclusion: In response to LPS induced inflammation

prednisone inhibits the expression levels of MUC5AC

ICAM-1 and IL-6 in vitro

which may be related to NF-κB

EGFR and ERK1/2 activation.