ABSTRACT
This study was aimed to observe the effect of Bai-Zhu Huang-Qi (BZHQ) decoction ethyl acetate extract on NOD like receptor family,pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in macrophages.The U937 cells were pretreated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA,10 ng· mL-1) for 48 hours to induce macrophages.Effects on cell viability by different doses of BZHQ decoction ethyl acetate extract (0,3.125,6.25,12.5,25,50,100 μg· mL-1) were observed to select the appropriate concentration.Contents of NLRP3 and caspase-1 in cells were detected by real-time PCR and western blot.The concentration of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in cell supernatant was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay showed that when the drug concentration was lower than 25 μg· mL-1,there was no impact on cell viability;when the drug concentration was higher than 50 μg· mL-1,there was inhibition on cell viability (P ＜ 0.05).The concentration of 25 μg· mL-1 was used to conduct the following experiment.Compared to the blank group,the expression of NLRP3 and caspase-l in cells of the LPS group were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).The concentration of IL-1β in cell supernatant was also significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).After treated with BZHQ decoction ethyl acetate extract,levels of NLRP3,caspase-1 and IL-1β were significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05).It was concluded that BZHQ decoction ethyl acetate extract can inhibit the production of NLRP3 inflammasome in LPS-stimulated macrophages.