Ethyl pyruvate decreases airway neutrophil infiltration partly through a high mobility group box 1-dependent mechanism in a chemical-induced murine asthma model

•HMGB1 is upregulated in a toluene-2,4-diisocyanate-induced murine asthma model.•Ethyl pyruvate (EP) decreases airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation.•EP inhibits HMGB1 release and neutrophil infiltration in a dose-dependent manner.