Esculin alleviates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–induced pneumonia by regulating the USP7/MAPK14 axis

Pneumonia is a serious and life-threatening lung inflammation with high morbidity and mortality. Accumulating evidence has suggested that esculin, a derivative of coumarin, possesses potent anti-inflammatory effects. This study is designed to explore the pharma role and underlying mechanism of esculin against lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced pneumonia. TC-1 cells were stimulated by LPS to mimic the inflammatory injury model in vitro. Cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were determined using MTT assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assay, and flow cytometry. Interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor α levels were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reactive oxygen species and superoxide dismutase were examined using special assay kits. Macrophage polarization was detected using flow cytometry. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14) level was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. MAPK14 and ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) protein levels were determined using western blot assay. After Ubibrowser database prediction, the interaction between USP7 and MAPK14 was verified using a Co-immunoprecipitation assay. The biological role of esculin was verified in LPS-challenged ALI mice in vivo. Here, we found that esculin significantly relieved LPS-induced TC-1 cell proliferation inhibition, and apoptosis, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and M1-type macrophage polarization promotion. MAPK14 and USP7 expressions were enhanced in LPS-treated TC-1 cells, which was partly abolished by esculin treatment. Overexpressing MAPK14 attenuated the repression of esculin on LPS-triggered TC-1 cell injury. At the molecular level, USP7 interacted with MAPK14 and maintained its stability by removing ubiquitin. Moreover, esculin repressed the progression of pneumonia in vivo by regulating MAPK14. Taken together, esculin exposure could mitigate LPS-induced TC-1 cell injury partly by targeting the USP7/MAPK14 axis, providing a better understanding of the role of esculin in the anti-inflammatory therapeutics for pneumonia.