1. Academic Validation
  2. Aloperine alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Aloperine alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation

  • Int Immunopharmacol. 2023 May 19;120:110142. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110142.
Jie Zeng 1 Jie Liu 2 Jun-Hao Huang 3 Shao-Ping Fu 4 Xin-Yi Wang 2 Chao Xi 3 Yan-Ru Cui 5 Fei Qu 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Physiology, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China; Jiangxi Medical College, Shangrao, Jiangxi 334000, China.
  • 2 Department of Physiology, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China.
  • 3 Department of Pharmacology, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China.
  • 4 Jiangxi entai medical equipment co., ltd, China.
  • 5 Department of Physiology, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China; Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China. Electronic address: 20070943@jxutcm.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Pharmacology, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330004, China. Electronic address: fei.qu@jxutcm.edu.cn.
Abstract

Rationale: Excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the pathological progression of acute lung injury (ALI). Aloperine (Alo) has anti-inflammatory effects in many inflammatory disease models; however, its role in ALI remains elusive. In this study, we addressed the role of Alo in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in both ALI mice and LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells.

Methods: The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in LPS-induced ALI lungs was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. Alo was administered in order to study its effect on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in ALI. RAW264.7 cells were used to evaluate the underlying mechanism of Alo in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro.

Results: The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome occurs in the lungs and RAW264.7 cells under LPS stress. Alo attenuated the pathological injury of lung tissue as well as downregulates the mRNA expression of NLRP3 and pro-caspase-1 in ALI mice and LPS-stressed RAW264.7 cells. The expression of NLRP3, pro-caspase-1, and Caspase-1 p10 were also significantly suppressed by Alo in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Alo decreased IL-1β and IL-18 release in ALI mice and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. In addition, ML385, a Nrf2 inhibitor, weakened the activity of Alo, which inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in vitro.

Conclusion: Alo reduces NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the Nrf2 pathway in ALI mice.

Keywords

Acute lung injury; Aloperine; NLRP3; Nrf2.

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