基于NF-κB/NLRP3炎症小体探讨黄芪甲苷Ⅳ对系统性红斑狼疮模型小鼠免疫功能的影响

Exploring the Effect of AstragalosideⅣon the Immune Function of SystemicLupus Erythematosus Mouse Model Based on NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome

【目的】探讨黄芪甲苷Ⅳ对系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)小鼠的治疗作用及机制。【方法】将40只雌性自发性MRL/lpr SLE模型小鼠随机分为5组,模型组、泼尼松组、黄芪甲苷Ⅳ组、黄芪甲苷Ⅳ+CHPG[核因子KappaB(NF-κB)通路激活剂]组和黄芪甲苷Ⅳ+尼日利亚菌素[NOD样受体家族含pyrin结构域蛋白3(NLRP3)激活剂]组,每组8只。以8只雌性MRL/MpJ小鼠作为正常组。给药期间,称量体质量。给药结束后,称量脾脏、胸腺、肾脏质量,计算脏器指数,检测尿液样本中的24 h尿蛋白水平,血液样本中生化指标肌酐(SCr)、血尿素氮(BUN),自身抗体[抗核抗体(ANA)、抗双链DNA(dsDNA)抗体、抗snRNP/Sm抗体],炎症介质[白细胞介素(IL)-1β、IL-18]水平,采用苏木素-伊红(HE)染色观察肾组织病理损伤,Masson染色观察肾组织纤维化,采用蛋白免疫印迹(Western Blot)法检测肾脏和脾脏组织中NF-κB/NLRP3炎症小体通路相关蛋白表达。【结果】与模型组比较,泼尼松组和黄芪甲苷Ⅳ组小鼠体质量增加,脾脏指数、胸腺指数和肾脏指数降低,血清ANA抗体、抗dsDNA抗体、抗snRNP/Sm抗体水平降低,SCr、BUN、24 h尿蛋白水平降低,IL-1β、IL-18水平降低,肾脏和脾脏组织中p-p65/p65、p-IκBα/IκBα、cleaved caspase-1/pro caspase-1比值及NLRP3蛋白相对表达量降低(均P<0.05),肾组织病理损伤和纤维化减轻,且2个给药组间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。NF-κB激活剂和NLRP3炎症小体激活剂能够在一定程度上消除黄芪甲苷Ⅳ对SLE小鼠上述指标的改善作用。【结论】黄芪甲苷Ⅳ能够改善SLE小鼠的免疫功能,减轻肾损伤和炎症反应,其作用机制可能与其抑制NF-κB/NLRP3炎症小体途径的活化有关。

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of astragalosideⅣon systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)mice.Methods A total of 40 female spontaneous MRL/lpr SLE model mice were randomly divided into five groups:model group,Prednisone group,astragalosideⅣgroup,astragalosideⅣ+CHPG[nuclear factor KappaB(NF-κB)pathway activator]group and astragalosideⅣ+Nigerian[NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing protein 3(NLRP3)activator]group,with eight mice in each group.Eight female MRL/MpJ mice were used as normal group.During the administration,the body mass was weighted.After administration,the spleen,thymus and kidney were weighted,and the organ index was calculated.The 24-hour urinary protein level in urine samples,the biochemical indexes of creatinine(SCr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),autoantibodies[antinuclear antibody(ANA),anti-double-stranded DNA(dsDNA)antibody,anti-snRNP/Sm antibody]and inflammatory mediators[interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-18]in blood samples were detected.The pathological damage of renal tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,and the fibrosis of renal tissue was observed by Masson staining.The expressions of NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway-related proteins in kidney and spleen tissues were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the model group,the body mass of mice in prednisone group and astragalosideⅣgroup increased,the spleen index,thymus index and kidney index were decreased,the serum levels of ANA antibody,anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-snRNP/Sm antibody were decreased,the levels of SCr,BUN and 24-hour urine protein were decreased,the levels of IL-1βand IL-18 wrere decreased,the ratios of p-p65/p65,p-IκBα/IκBα,cleaved caspase-1/pro caspase-1 and the relative expression of NLRP3 protein in kidney and spleen tissues were decreased(all P<0.05),and the pathological damage and fibrosis of renal tissue in SLE mice were alleviated,there being no significant difference between the two administration groups(P>0.05).NF-κB activator and NLRP3 inflammasome activator eliminated the improvement of astragalosideⅣon the above indexes in SLE mice to a certain extent.Conclusion AstragalosideⅣcan improve the immune function of SLE mice,reduce renal injury and inflammatory response,and its mechanism may be related to its inhibition of the activation of NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.