SO_2衍生物通过NLRP3炎症小体促进气道上皮细胞炎症发生

SO_2 derivatives stimulate inflammation of airway epithelial cells through NLRP3 inflammasome

目的:观察二氧化硫(SO_2)衍生物亚硫酸钠和亚硫酸氢钠对支气管上皮细胞NLRP3炎症小体活化的影响。方法:使用不同浓度的SO_2衍生物作用于支气管上皮细胞16HBE,通过流式细胞术检测细胞内活性氧簇(ROS)的生成,Western blot检测细胞内NLRP3和caspase-1 p20蛋白水平,ELISA检测细胞上清中白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)的分泌水平,结合细胞毒性实验(MTT)确定2 mmol/L为SO_2衍生物的实验浓度。采用RNA干扰技术沉默16HEB细胞NLRP3基因及ROS清除剂N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)预处理16HBE细胞,通过流式细胞术检测细胞内ROS, Western blot和ELISA分别检测NLRP3和caspase-1 p20蛋白表达及IL-1β分泌水平。结果:与对照组比较, 2 mmol/L和4 mmol/L SO_2衍生物组细胞内ROS水平、 NLRP3和caspase-1 p20蛋白表达及细胞上清液中IL-1β水平明显升高(P<0.05)。与2 mmol/L SO_2衍生物组比较,NLRP3 siRNA组细胞内的NLRP3和caspase-1 p20蛋白水平明显降低(P<0.05),且细胞上清液中IL-1β的浓度明显下降(P<0.05),ROS无明显变化;NAC组NLRP3和caspase-1 p20蛋白水平及IL-1β浓度均明显下降(P<0.05)。结论:SO_2衍生物激活支气管上皮细胞NLRP3炎症小体,促进IL-1β生成。

AIM: To investigate the effect of sulfur dioxide(SO2) derivatives(sodium sulfite and sodium bisulfate) on NLRP3 inflammasome in airway epithelial cells. METHODS: SO2 derivatives at different concentrations were applied to bronchial epithelial 16 HBE cells for 12 h. The production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) was detected by flow cytometry. The protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20 were analyzed by Western blot. The level of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) in the cell culture supernatant was measured by ELISA. The cell viability was measued by MTT assay, and the concentration of SO2 derivatives used in the following experiments was 2 mmol/L. When the NLRP3 gene in 16 HBE cells was silenced by RNA interference technique or N-acetyl cysteine(NAC) was used to pretreat 16 HBE cells, the intracellular ROS was detected by flow cytometry, and the protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20 and the secretion of IL-1β were determined by Western blot and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the level of intracellular ROS, the protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20, and the secretion of IL-1β in cell supernatant were increased significantly in 2 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L SO2 derivative groups(P<0.05). Compared with the 2 mmol/L group, the protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20 were significantly inhibited in NLRP3 siRNA group(P<0.05). The concentration of IL-1β in the cell culture supernatant was significantly decreased(P<0.05). No significant difference of ROS level was observed. Significantly decreased protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 p20, and the concentration of IL-1β in NAC group were found(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: SO2 derivatives directly promote the production of IL-1β through NLRP3 inflammasome in bronchial epithelial cells.