N‐acetylcysteine, a classical antioxidant drug used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and contrast‐induced nephropathy, was involved in the metabolism of glutamate, cysteine, and glutathione.40 NAC was reported to protect cells from oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in many issues including neuronal cells.40, 41 In the present study, we demonstrated that NAC treatment could also prevent activation of ER stress via blocking the PI3K/Akt and ERK pathways and consistently ameliorate apoptosis of AVP neurons in acute phase after PEL surgery. Here, AKT1 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.