Effects of quercetin on diabetic retinopathy and its association with NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy

AIM:To investigate the effects of quercetin on diabetic retinopathy(DR)and its association with nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3)inflammasome and autophagy using retinal endothelial cell as an experimental model.METHODS:Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRMECs)were cultured in vitro and assigned into the control group,high-glucose(HG)group,and HG+different concentrations of quercetin groups.Cellular viability,migration,and tube formation in these groups was detected by MTT,transwell and matrigel assay,respectively.Expressions of NLRP3,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC),cysteiny aspartate-specific protease-1(Caspase-1)as well as microtubule-related protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)and Beclin-1 were detected by Western blotting.Expressions of IL-1β and IL-18 were detected by ELISA and cellular autophagy was detected by Cyto-ID■ autophagy detection kit.RESULTS:Under an HG condition,the viability,migration,tube formation of HRMECs,and the protein expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,and Beclin-1 as well as autophagy were all increased.Quercetin inhibited angiogenesis of HRMECs as well as the expressions of NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,LC3,Beclin-1,and autophagy of HRMECs under a HG condition.The inhibitory effects of quercetin on angiogenesis,NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy increased with the increase of its concentration.CONCLUSION:The therapeutic potential of quercetin in retinal neovascularization of DR,and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy signaling pathway may be involved.