NEU1 singled out as key target in acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI), or acute respiratory distress (ARDS), is a severe inflammatory lung condition that poses a serious threat to human health, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite advances in supportive care, no therapies directly target endothelial dysfunction, the linchpin of ALI/ARDS pathogenesis.

In a recent study published in Glycoscience & Therapy, a team of researchers from China confirmed that neuraminidase 1(NEU1) is significantly elevated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and is a key factor driving the endothelial disfunction.

“We have confirmed for the first time that NEU1 not only contributes to pulmonary fibrosis but also exacerbates endothelial inflammation and dysfunction by the CXCR4/JNK pathway,” shares corresponding author Lei Zhang. “Over-activation of NEU1 may play a major role in both acute and chronic lung pathogenesis.”

“Previously, we  focused on the physiological and pathological functions of NEU1, and screened many natural molecules targeting NEU1, among which baicalin is one,” adds lead author Yu-Je Wu. “We demonstrated that baicalin can significantly improve ALI, and baicalin can bind to NEU1, promoting its degradation via the lysosomal pathway, thereby inhibiting the CXCR4/JNK signaling pathway.”

The team’s findings were also been confirmed in Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, in which baicalin is one of the representative active components. “By decoding a novel endothelial injury axis and validating clinically actionable natural compounds, our study provides a new direction and addresses an urgent unmet need in critical care,” says Zhang.

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Contact the author: Lei Zhang，Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Chinese Medicine , China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China. Zhanglei@cpu.edu.cn 

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