Dl-3-N-butylphthalide alleviates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by down-regulating NF-κB signaling pathway and inhibiting cell pyroptosis in rat models / 器官移植

ABSTRACT

Objective To elucidate the mechanism of dl-3-N-butylphthalide (NBP) on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rat models. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into the sham operation group (Sham group), model group (IRI group), NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate group (PDTC group), low-dose NBP group (NBP-L group) and high-dose NBP group (NBP-H group), with 8 rats in each group. Serum creatinine (Scr), serum cystatin C(Cys-C), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 levels were detected in all groups. Pathological injury of renal tissues in each group was observed by Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The expression levels of inflammatory factors and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway and cell pyroptosis-related proteins in renal tissues were measured by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Results Compared with the Sham group, renal tissue injury was more severe, and the levels of Scr, Cys-C, BUN and serum IL-1β and IL-18 were all up-regulated in the IRI group. Western blot showed that the relative expression levels of NOD-like receptor protein (NLRP3), Gasdermin D(GSDMD), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (Caspase)-1, IL-18, IL-1β, NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 proteins were all up-regulated, and immunohistochemical staining revealed that the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65, IL-1β, IL-18 and NLRP3 proteins were all up-regulated in the IRI group. Compared with the IRI group, renal tissue injury was alleviated, and the levels of Scr, Cys-C, BUN and serum IL-18 and IL-1β were down-regulated in the PDTC, NBP-L and NBP-H groups. Western blot showed that the expression levels of NLRP3, GSDMD, Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 proteins were down-regulated, and immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expression levels of NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, IL-1β, IL-18 and NLRP3 proteins were down-regulated in the PDTC, NBP-L and NBP-H groups, respectively. Compared with the NBP-L group, renal tissue injury was mitigated, and the levels of Scr, Cys-C, BUN, serum IL-18 and IL-1β were all down-regulated in the NBP-H group. Western blot showed the expression levels of NLRP3, GSDMD, Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 proteins were down-regulated in the NBP-H group. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expression levels of NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, IL-1β, IL-18 and NLRP3 proteins were down-regulated in the NBP-H group. Conclusions NBP may down-regulate the activity of NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway and reduce the expression levels of cell pyroptosis-related proteins and inflammatory factors after renal IRI, thereby suppressing cell pyroptosis and alleviating renal IRI.