Research progress on cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Inflammation is an important defense mechanism against external pathogen invasion and tissue damage. However, when the body is in a persistent inflammatory state, excessive accumulation of neutrophils may cause further severely tissue damage, leading to inflammation-related diseases. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) links the nervous system and the immune system closely together. Stimulation of the vagus nerve can release acetylcholine (ACh) which then binds to cholinergic receptors on the surface of immune cells and suppress the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, so as to reduce inflammatory response and facilitate tissue recovery. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a highly disabling and even fatal clinical syndrome. The pathological manifestations are acute and diffuse inflammatory lung injury. Reducing lung injury in ARDS patients is still a hot topic in recent years. This review summarized the role of CAP in ARDS induced by different models and its possible mechanisms. Key words: Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway; Vagus nerve; Acute respiratory distress syndrome; Inflammation