Astagalus Polysaccharide Attenuates Murine Colitis through Inhibiton of the NLRP3 Inflammasome.
Astragaluspolysaccharide is an important bioactive component ofAstragalus membranaceus, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating inflammatory bowel disease. The NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. However, little is known about the role of NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome inAstragaluspolysaccharide-treated mice with experimental colitis. For this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms that underlie the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease byAstragaluspolysaccharide. We show thatAstragaluspolysaccharide treatment reduces the disease activity index and histological injury scores compared to the colitis model group.Astragaluspolysaccharide also effectively inhibited the expression of NOD-like receptor protein 3, apoptotic speck protein containing a c-terminal caspase recruitment domain, caspase-1, interleukin-18, and interleukin-1β, as shown by quantificational RT-PCR or the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore,Astragaluspolysaccharide treatments produced significant dose-dependent improvements in dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis. Our data provide the reliable evidence thatAstragaluspolysaccharide is able to exert a therapeutic effect in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by inhibiting the activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome, which acts to decrease the production of inflammatory factors such as interleukin-18 and interleukin-1β.
Institute of Immunology, PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Zhiqiang
Z
Tian
Department of Pharmacy, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Yao
Y
Liu
Department of Pharmacy, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Bo
B
Yang
Institute of Immunology, PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Ji
J
Zhang
Institute of Immunology, PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Haiyang
H
He
Weifang Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Weifang, Shandong, China.
Hui
H
Ge
Institute of Immunology, PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Yuzhang
Y
Wu
Institute of Immunology, PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Zigang
Z
Shen
D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000187:drug effects*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016207:Cytokines; D058847:Inflammasomes; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C492716:Nlrp3 protein, mouse; D011134:Polysaccharides; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D020170:Caspase 1