THE PPARG RECEPTOR AGONIST PIOGLITAZONE REDUCES PULMONARY FIBROSIS INDUCED BY BLEOMYCIN ADMINISTRATION IN MICE

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of preventing the development of pulmonary fibrosis by activating the PPARG pathway of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, in particular, by administering pioglitazone. Materials and methods. The experiment was performed on 60 male BALB/c mice, which were divided into: 1 group of animals received bleomycin (BLM) oropharyngeally (n=35), 2 group of animals received saline (n=25) oropharyngeally. Pulmonary fibrosis was modeled in group 1: bleomycin at a concentration of 1 mg/kg pre-dissolved in 40 μL of saline for 6 days, group 2 was administered saline in a volume of 40 μL for the same period of time. 3 21 days later, the mice were separated: Group 3 OF aspiration with bleomycin combined with oral administration of pioglitazone (BLM+PGL) (n=15), Group 4 received oropharyngeal bleomycin combined with oral administration of saline (BLM+Saline) (n=15), group 5 - oral saline in combination with oral administration of pioglitazone (OP+PGL) (n=10), group 6 – oral saline in combination with oral saline (OP+SGL) (n=10). Animals of groups 3 and 4 received 40 μL of pioglitazone (20 mg/kg) orally for 14 days. Animals of groups 5 and 6 received 40 μL of saline orally for 14 days, respectively. On day 35, animals of all groups were euthanized by intraperitoneal injection of sodium thiopental at a dose of 250 mg/kg, and lung tissue was sampled from each animal for further determination of hydroxyproline levels and histopathological examination. Results. The obtained results demonstrate a significant decrease in the level of lung moisture, the mass ratio of the right lung. The histopathological examination significantly reduced the amount of collagen when comparing the treated group with the control group. Conclusions. Activation of PPARG receptors has a positive effect on the structure of the lungs in mice in the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Pioglitazone reduces inflammation in the lungs of mice and decreases collagen content in the lung tissue.