Effects of Keningfang decoction on heat shock protein 70 expression in lung of mice with influenza virus pneumonia

AIM: To study the preventive effects of Keningfang decoction on the experimental influenza virus pneumonia in mice and its mechanism. METHODS: Fifty NIH mice were divided into five groups randomly (ten mice in each group), normal control group, model group, virazole treatment group, Keningfang I treatment group, Keningfang II treatment group. The FM 1 virus strain that kept in frozen condition were revived and cultured in chick embryo. The mice in every group that were lightly anesthetized by aether, and infected by dropping FM 1 15 LD 50 into the nose, except for the normal control group, by equal volume distilled water. Mice were treated with drugs or distilled water two days before the model was made (0 3 mL, 2 times a day). The mice were treated with drug for six days, then was killed, the lungs were collected, and kept in -70 ℃. HSP70 was measured in the lung tissue by Western blot. Pathologic changes of the mice lungs were observed under microscope. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, HSP70 in the other groups were increased significantly (P0 01). Compared with model group, HSP70 expression in Keningfang I treatment group were increased significantly (P0 05). There was a significant difference in HSP70 expression of lung between virazole group and Keningfang I treatment group (P0 05). In addition, both virazole and Keningfang I treatment attenuated histological changes of lung in mice challenged with FM 1 virus strain. CONCLUSION: The HSP70 expression of lungs in influenza virus pneumonia mice was increased significantly. Keningfang I decoction induced the HSP70 synthesis of lungs and attenuated histological changes of lung in influenza virus pneumonia mice. These results show that Keningfang I decoction can protect the mice lungs from the damage of influenza virus.