Investigation of the protective effects of omega-3 on acute lung injury in rats with an experimental sepsis model

Sepsis is a life-threatening clinical condition that arises from the host's dysregulated response to infection and is characterized by multiple organ dysfunction. Acute lung injury (ALI) associated with sepsis is linked to prolonged intensive care unit stays and increased rates of morbidity and mortality. As new therapeutic approaches to prevent sepsis-induced lung injury gain importance, this study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids on ALI. For this purpose, a total of 32 female Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups. The control group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) physiological saline (SF) once daily for three days. The LPS group received SF for three days, followed by a single i.p. dose of 5 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the third day. The LPS+Omega-3 (LPS+O3) group received 0.5 g/kg i.p. Omega-3 for three days, followed by LPS administration on the third day. The Omega-3 (O3) group was given Omega-3 for three days and SF on the third day. All animals were sacrificed six hours after LPS administration. Lung tissues were evaluated histopathologically for alveolar structure; immunohistochemically for TNF-α, HSP-70 and Cas-3 expression; biochemically for total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI); and genetically for Bax, Bcl-2, Cas-9 and Cyt-c gene expression levels. In the LPS group, disruption of tissue integrity, increased inflammatory and apoptotic markers, elevated TOS and OSI levels, and decreased TAS and Bcl-2 expression levels were observed. In contrast, significant improvements in these pathological parameters were found in the LPS+Omega-3 group. Based on the findings, omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated a protective effect against sepsis-induced acute lung injury by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptotic mechanisms. eywords: Acute Lung Injury, Apoptosis, Lipopolysaccharide, Omega-3, Sepsis