The mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 ameliorates cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress and airway inflammation

<bold>Aims:</bold> SkQ1 (Visomitin) is a novel mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant that effectively eliminate excessive intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and holds promise in the treatment of inflammation associated diseases. However, the specific role of SkQ1 in cigarette smoke (CS) induced airway inflammation has yet to be explicated. <bold>Methods:</bold> C57BL/6J mice were exposed to CS for 4 weeks, in which the experimental group was pretreated with SkQ1 before CS exposure. Proinflammatory cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by ELISA. Lung tissue was examined for histopathological lesions and mitochondrial related proteins by immunohistochemical and western blotting, respectively. The effects of SkQ1 on CS extract- (CSE-) induced oxidative stress and airway inflammation and was investigated using BEAS-2B cells. <bold>Results:</bold> SkQ1 significantly attenuated CS-induced infiltration of peribronchial inflammatory cell and thickening of the airway epithelium, as well as lower concentration of interleukin- (IL-) 6 and IL-1β in BALF. The expression of optic atrophy-1 (OPA1) and dynamin-related protein (DRP1) were rectified by SkQ1 both in CS-induced mice and CSE-treated BEAS-2B cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with SkQ1 restored expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and generation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS in CSE-treated BEAS-2B cells. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> SkQ1 exhibits an alleviation role in CS-induced airway inflammation and oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo, thereby playing a novel protective role in the treatment of airway disorders caused by CS.