Objective      To investigate the effects of penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHCD) on NF-κB activity in the fetal rats with lung injury induced by intrauterine distress. Methods       Eighty mature fetal rats weighing 4.74 ~ 4.82 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=20)

that is

control group

PHCD group

acute lung injury group (ALI) and ALI+PHCD group. Fetal rat intrauterine distress model was set up by ligating bilateral uterine horn vessels of pregnant rats. PHCD (2.0 mg/kg) was injected in the gluteus maximus of the pregnant rats in 30 min prior to intrauterine distress in PHCD and ALI+PHCD groups

and the same volume of normal saline was injected in the pregnant rats out of the control group. After fetal rats were removed and decollated

the blood gas analysis and W/D lung weight ratio was measured. At the same time

pathological changes in the lung tissue were observed by HE staining. Furthermore

the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the lung were detected by ELISA. The expression of NF-κB mRNA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR

and the expression of NF-κB-p65 protein was detected by Western blotting. Results      The pH value and partial pressure of oxygen were significantly lower in acute lung injury group than control group (P0.05)

and those of the ALI+PHCD group was obviously higher than those of ALI group (P0.05). The partial pressure of carbon dioxide

lactic acid content

W/D lung weight ratio

concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6

the expression of NF-κB mRNA and NF-κB p65 protein were significantly increased in the ALI group than the control group (P0.05)

and those in ALI+PHCD group were remarkably lower than those in the ALI group (P0.05). The pathological changes in lung tissue were significantly attenuated in ALI+PHCD group when compared with the ALI group (P0.05). Conclusion      PHCD attenuates acute lung injury induced by intrauterine distress through inhibiting NF-κB activation and inflammatory response of lung tissue in fetal rats.