The probable roles of valsartan in alleviating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following co-exposure to cold stress and fine particulate matter

•First time to evaluate the co-effects of cold stress and PM2.5 on rat model of COPD.•Evaluate the effects of valsartan in treating COPD rat following co-exposure to cold stress and PM2.5.•Cold stress and PM2.5 may aggravate the inflammatory and oxidative responses in COPD rats.•Valsartan may relieve the severe condition of COPD rats following co-exposure to cold stress and PM2.5. Angiotensin II (ANG II) might play an important role in the co-effects of cold stress and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of valsartan in alleviating COPD following co-exposure to cold stress and PM2.5. Both the two intervention factors are carried out upon COPD rats with the intervention of valsartan. Blockade of angiotensin receptor by valsartan decreases the levels of malondialdehyde in the normal temperature and tumor necrosis factor-α under cold stress significantly. When treated with valsartan and PM2.5 simultaneously, the expression of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, nuclear factor kappa B and heme oxygenase-1 decrease significantly in the group of cold stress. In conclusion, these results indicate that valsartan might relieve the co-effects of cold stress and PM2.5 on COPD rat lung to some degree.