PM / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Particulate matter (PM) can damage respiratory system, cardiovascular system, nervous system and immune system, but there are few researches on reproductive damage of particulate matter. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of short-term particulate matter 2.5 (PM

Effect of ethanolic extract of Polygonum cuspidatum on acute gouty arthritis in mice through NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this paper was to study the effect and mechanism of alcohol extract from Polygonum cuspidatum(PCE) on acute gouty arthritis in C57 BL/6 mice through NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis. The model mice which injected with ankle joint injection of sodium urate crystals(MSU) were orally administrated with three different concentration of PCE, with colchicine as positive control. HE staining was used for observing the morphological changes of synovial tissue; concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α secreted by synovial tissue of the ankle joint were detected by ELISA; mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 in synovial tissue were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. The results showed that the swelling degree of ankle joint in model mice were significantly elevated; expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased; mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 also significant increase, compared with normal control group. The swelling degree of ankle joint significantly relief; expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in joint synovium significantly decrease; mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 were significantly decrease in PCE treatment group compared with model group. Our research implied that alcohol extract from P. cuspidatum had positive effect on acute gouty arthritis in mice, and the regulation of NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis may be its mechanism.

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Total Saponin Fraction from Dioscorea nipponica Makino on Gouty Arthritis and Its Influence on NALP3 Inflammasome / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine Dioscorea nipponica for the treatment of monosodium urate crystals-induced gouty arthritis (GA) in rats.@*METHODS@#Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: normal, model, indomethacin and three total saponin (900, 300 and 100 mg/kg) groups. The liver, kidney and serum levels of lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities, and inflammatory factors were measured. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of the NALP3 inflammasome components in the mononuclear cells of rats' peripheral blood were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting methods, respectively.@*RESULTS@#Total saponins groups could reduce the activities of β-galactosidase, β-N acetyl glucosamine enzyme, β-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, and malonaldehyde as well as the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 (all P<0.05). They could also increase the activities of glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase (both P<0.05). Further studies showed that total saponins groups of high, middle and low doses could all increase the mRNA and protein levels of caspase-1, adapter apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC) and NALP3 in the mononuclear cells of peripheral blood (all P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Dioscorea nipponica may treat GA by regulating lysosomal enzymes, antioxidant capacities and the NALP3 inflammasome.

Research progress of NLRP3 inflammasome in organ ischemia-reperfusion injury / 解放军医学杂志

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is a common pathophysiological process in organ transplantation,ischemic stroke and organ resection surgery,and also an important factor causing organ dysfunction and severe postoperative complications.How to avoid or mitigate organ ischemia-reperfusion injury has always been a research hotspot.NLRP3 Inflammasome has been considered to be an important link in inflammatory response.It has an indispensable role in maturation process of IL-lβ and IL-18.We reviewed the research in recent yeas about the role of NLRP3 Inflammasome in organ ischemia-reperfusion injury in this paper.

Research progress on absent in melanoma 2 in defending pathogenic microorganism invasion / 中华临床感染病杂志

Innate immunity is on the frontline of fight against pathogenic microorganism invasion .As a DNA sensor, absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is an important member of innate immune system.It can recognize dsDNA of pathogenic microbes to form AIM 2 inflammasomes , which facilitates defending and clearing the invasion of pathogens by activating caspase-1 dependent pyroptosis and the mature of IL-18 and IL-1β.AIM2 inflammasomes play an important part in responding to Listeria monocytogenes, Francisella tularensis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Aspergillus fumigatus, vaccinia virus , murine cytomegalovirus , and hepatitis B virus infections .This paper introduces the components of AIM 2 inflammasomes and summarizes its function in defending the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms .

The expression of ASC in the non-apoptotic,non-necrotic cell death of neutrophils induced by ONO-AE-248 / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the role of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC) in non-apoptotic,non-necrotic cell death of neutrophils induced by ONO-AE-248.Methods:The morphological changes of neutrophil nuclei and DNA fragmentation of the cells were examined by confocal microscopy and terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL).Neutrophils were stimulated with medium alone,LPS,TNF-? or ONO-AE248 respectively.Then expression of ASC was detected by Western blot.Results:ONO-AE-248-induced neutrophil death was negative in TUNEL assay.Western blot showed that the expression of ASC protein was down-regulated by ONO-AE-248.Conclusion:The DNA degradation of the neutrophils when stimulated by ONO-AE-248 is probably different from that of the typical apoptosis.ASC might be a crosslink point between the ONO-AE-248-induced neutrophil death and spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils.

Role of ASC in non-apoptotic programmed cell death of neutrophils induced by ONO-AE-248 / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the roles of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD(ASC),one of differentially expressed proteins in neutrophil death induced by ONO-AE-248.Methods:Human neutrophils were cultured in vitro with or without ONO-AE-248(5?10-5 mol/L).The expression of ASC mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.PMN proteins were extracted at 12 h and then separated by 2D electrophoresis.20 differentially expressed proteins were selected and determined by PDQest 2-DE software.Results:ONO-AE-248 decreased the expression of ASC mRNA strikingly in 2 hours;ASC was one of the important differentially expressed proteins between spontaneous apoptosis and non-apoptosis programmed cell death induced by ONO-AE-248 in 12 hour and ASC protein point was weaker in ONO-AE-248 group.Conclusion:ASC might act as double switch that leads to apoptosis of neutrophils in the high expression and removes the forbiddance of pathway of ONO-AE-248 signals in the low expression,resulting in non-apoptosis programmed cell death of neutrophils.