Lycium barbarum polysaccharide attenuates alcoholic cellular injury through TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Lycium barbarum has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to nourish liver, kidneys and the eyes. However, the underlying mechanisms of its hepatic-protective properties remain uncertain. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) and NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mediated the attenuation of ethanol-induced hepatic injury by Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP). Rat normal hepatocyte line BRL-3A was pre-treated with LBP prior to ethanol incubation. Hepatic damages, including apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, were measured. Then the inhibition of endogenous TXNIP expression was achieved by using its specific siRNA to test its possible involvement in the injury attenuation. We found that 50μg/ml LBP pre-treatment significantly alleviated 24-h ethanol exposure-induced overexpression of TXNIP, increased cellular apoptosis, secretion of inflammatory cytokines, activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, production of ROS, and reduced antioxidant enzyme expression. Silence of TXNIP suppressed the activated NLRP3 inflammasome, increased oxidative stress and worsened apoptosis in the cells. Further addition of LBP did not influence the effects of TXNIP inhibition on the cells. In conclusion, inhibition of hepatic TXNIP by LBP contributes to the reduction of cellular apoptosis, oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation.

Xiao J ，Zhu Y ，Liu Y ，Tipoe GL ，Xing F ，So KF ... -  《-》

Reactive oxygen species-induced TXNIP drives fructose-mediated hepatic inflammation and lipid accumulation through NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Zhang X ，Zhang JH ，Chen XY ，Hu QH ，Wang MX ，Jin R ，Zhang QY ，Wang W ，Wang R ，Kang LL ，Li JS ，Li M ，Pan Y ，Huang JJ ，Kong LD ... -  《-》

Bee's honey attenuates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-induced hepatic injury through the regulation of thioredoxin-interacting protein-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Xiao J ，Liu Y ，Xing F ，Leung TM ，Liong EC ，Tipoe GL ... -  《-》

Melatonin alleviates cadmium-induced liver injury by inhibiting the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome.

Cadmium (Cd) is a persistent environmental and occupational contaminant that accumulates in the liver and induces oxidative stress and inflammation. Melatonin possesses potent hepatoprotective properties against the development and progression of acute and chronic liver injury. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism underlying the protective effects of melatonin against Cd-induced hepatotoxicity remains obscure. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin on Cd-induced liver inflammation and hepatocyte death. Male C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with melatonin (10 mg/kg) once a day for 3 days before exposure to CdCl2 (2.0 mg/kg). We found that Cd induced hepatocellular damage and inflammatory infiltration as well as increased serum ALT/AST enzymes. In addition, we showed that Cd triggered an inflammatory cell death, which is mediated by the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Moreover, melatonin treatment significantly alleviated Cd-induced liver injury by decreasing serum ALT/AST levels, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, ameliorating oxidative stress, and attenuating hepatocyte death. Most importantly, melatonin markedly abrogated Cd-induced TXNIP overexpression and decreased the interaction between TXNIP and NLRP3 in vivo and in vitro. However, treatment with siRNA targeting TXNIP blocked the protective effects of melatonin in Cd-treated primary hepatocytes. Collectively, our results suggest that melatonin confers protection against Cd-induced liver inflammation and hepatocyte death via inhibition of the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Cao Z ，Fang Y ，Lu Y ，Tan D ，Du C ，Li Y ，Ma Q ，Yu J ，Chen M ，Zhou C ，Pei L ，Zhang L ，Ran H ，He M ，Yu Z ，Zhou Z ... -  《-》

Salidroside alleviates high glucose-induced oxidative stress and extracellular matrix accumulation in rat glomerular mesangial cells by the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a metabolic disease characterized by mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Salidroside (SAL) is the major ingredient in Rhodiola rosea and possesses beneficial effects on DN. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SAL on high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative stress and ECM accumulation and the underlying mechanism. Rat glomerular mesangial cells HBZY-1 were induced by high glucose (HG) in the presence or absence of SAL. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were detected to evaluate oxidative stress. The expression levels of ECM proteins including fibronectin (FN) and type IV collagen (Coll IV) were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. The expressions of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), and caspase-1 were assessed by western blot. Si-TXNIP or si-NC was transfected into HBZY-1 cells to inhibit TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. The results showed that SAL treatment alleviated HG-induced cell proliferation. SAL reduced the levels of ROS and MDA, and induced the SOD activity. Besides, the mRNA and protein expressions of FN and Coll IV were decreased by SAL. The expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were reduced in the SAL treated cells. In addition, TXNIP knockdown inhibited TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome activation and suppressed HG-induced cell proliferation, oxidative stress, and ECM accumulation. In conclusion, SAL alleviated HG-induced oxidative stress and ECM accumulation in rat glomerular mesangial cells by the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Wang S ，Zhao X ，Yang S ，Chen B ，Shi J ... -  《-》