The α2AR/Caveolin‐1/p38MAPK/NF‐κB axis explains dexmedetomidine protection against lung injury following intestinal ischaemia‐reperfusion

Intestinal ischaemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury can result in acute lung injury due to ischaemia and hypoxia. Dexmedetomidine (Dex), a highly selective alpha2‐noradrenergic receptor (α2AR) agonist used in anaesthesia, is reported to regulate inflammation in organs. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of Dex in lung injury caused by intestinal I/R. After establishing a rat model of intestinal I/R, we measured the wet‐to‐dry specific gravity of rat lungs upon treatments with Dex, SB239063 and the α2AR antagonist Atipamezole. Moreover, injury scoring and histopathological studies of lung tissues were performed, followed by ELISA detection on tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐6 expression. Correlation of Caveolin‐1 (Cav‐1) protein expression with p38, p‐p38, p‐p65 and p65 in rat lung tissues was analysed, and the degree of cell apoptosis in lung tissues after intestinal I/R injury was detected by TUNEL assay. The lung injury induced by intestinal I/R was a dynamic process. Moreover, Dex had protective effects against lung injury by mediating the expression of Cal‐1 and α2A‐AR. Specifically, Dex promoted Cav‐1 expression via α2A‐AR activation and mitigated intestinal I/R‐induced lung injury, even in the presence of Atipamezole. The protective effect of Dex on intestinal I/R‐induced lung injury was also closely related to α2A‐AR/p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases/nuclear factor‐kappaB (MAPK/NF‐κB) pathway. Dex can alleviate pulmonary inflammation after in intestinal I/R by promoting Cav‐1 to inhibit the activation of p38 and NF‐κB. In conclusion, Dex can reduce pulmonary inflammatory response even after receiving threats from both intestinal I/R injury and Atipamezole.