Inhalation of glycopyrronium inhibits cigarette smoke-induced acute lung inflammation in a murine model of COPD

Glycopyrronium bromide (GB) is a muscarinic receptor antagonist that has been used as a long-acting bronchodilator in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of inhaled GB in a cigarette smoke-induced acute lung inflammation mouse model. We found that aerosol pre-treatment with GB suppresses the accumulation of neutrophils and macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice. GB at doses of 300 and 600μg/ml significantly inhibited the CS-induced increases in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in lung tissues and the BALF. Moreover, GB at a dose of 600μg/ml significantly inhibited the CS-induced changes in glutathione (GSH) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in the BALF, decreased the CS-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9, and increased the CS-induced expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, as determined through the immunohistochemical staining of lung tissue. Our results demonstrate the beneficial effects of inhaled GB on the inflammatory reaction in COPD. [Display omitted] •Cigarette smoke (CS)-induced acute lung inflammation in mice•Inhalation of glycopyrronium bromide (GB) decreases inflammatory cells influx into lung.•GB inhibits CS-induced proinflammatory factor expression.•GB alleviates CS-induced oxidative stress in lung.•GB regulates imbalance of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in lung.