OBJECTIVEAcute lung injury (ALI) remains a life-threatening condition characterized by excessive inflammation and oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the role of Lysine acetyltransferase 8 (KAT8) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and explore its underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODSGene and protein expression were analyzed via RT-qPCR and Western blot. Molecular interactions were validated using Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and luciferase reporter assays. Lung histopathology was evaluated by H&E staining. Oxidative stress markers (SOD, MPO, MDA, ROS) were quantified.RESULTSKAT8 expression was elevated in LPS-treated cells and lung tissues. Genetic silencing of KAT8 attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine secretion, oxidative stress, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Mechanistically, KAT8 promoted p53 acetylation, enhancing its binding to the NLRP3 promoter and upregulating its transcription. Conversely, p53 knockdown abolished KAT8-mediated inflammatory cytokine secretion, oxidative stress, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LPS-induced ALI. In vivo, pharmacological inhibition of KAT8 with MG149 alleviated LPS-induced ALI as evidenced by reduced neutrophil infiltration, pulmonary edema, and oxidative damage. Concurrently, MG149 suppressed p53 acetylation and NLRP3 activation in murine lungs.CONCLUSIONThis study identifies KAT8 as a key epigenetic regulator driving LPS-induced ALI via the p53/NLRP3 axis. Targeting KAT8 with MG149 represents a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate inflammation and oxidative injury in ALI.