Activation of NF-κB signaling in rare earth neodymium oxide particle-induced acute lung injury

Abstract

Neodymium is widely applied in industrial materials worldwide, and most of the supply is produced in China. However, neodymium oxide dust exposure can cause pronounced lung injury and pneumoconiosis. This study investigated the process of Nd₂O₃-induced acute lung injury and explored the activation of NF-κB by employing an Nd₂O₃-instilled rat model. H&E staining, total cell number and total protein amount in broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid revealed that Nd₂O₃ instillation caused pronounced acute lung injury, which is characterized by the infiltration of inflammatory cells, alveolar septal thickening, fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition in the lungs of the rats. Meanwhile, immunoblot analysis and EMSA assay indicated that Nd₂O₃ instillation induced the NF-κB signaling pathway. These results suggest that Nd₂O₃-induced lung acute injury may be regulated by the NF-κB signaling pathway. This report could be the first in vivo mechanistic study of pneumoconiosis induced by Nd₂O₃, providing insights for the development of clinical therapeutic strategies to prevent Nd₂O₃-induced pneumoconiosis.