Effect of hUC-MSCs on the NLRP3/Caspase-1 Pathway in APP/PS1 Mice

[Objectives] To investigate the effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) on the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (Caspase-1) pathway within the cerebral cortex of a mouse model of Alzheimer s disease (AD).[Methods] Twelve 6-month-old female APP/PS1 mice were randomly assigned to two groups: the model group (MOD, n =6) and the hUC-MSCs treatment group (MSC, n =6). Six 6-month-old C57BL/6N mice were utilized as a control group (CON, n =6). All mice underwent caudal vein injections of hUC-MSCs. Following a 4-week treatment, the mice from each group were euthanized. The expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1 protein, and mRNA in the cerebral cortex of each group were assessed using Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR assays.[Results] The results of immunoblotting showed that the expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 proteins in the MOD group were significantly higher than those observed in the CON group. Furthermore, the expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 proteins in the MSC group were found to be lower than those in the MOD group. Additionally, the findings from real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR assay demonstrated that the mRNA levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the MOD group were elevated compared to the CON group. Conversely, the mRNA levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the MSC group were reduced in comparison to the MOD group.[Conclusions] hUC-MSCs have the capacity to modulate the expression of the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway within the cerebral cortex of APP/PS1 mice. This modulation may be associated with the neuroinflammatory processes mediated by hUC-MSCs in the brains of APP/PS1 mice.