Protective effects of α-Linolenic acid against ischemic heart failure and the underlying mechanisms: inhibition of NLRP3 in the early stage of ischemia
NAN Ying
ZHAO Meina
ZHANG Wei
Abstract：α-Linolenic acid (ALA) is a kind of plant-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and has been reported to be cardioprotective by clinical studies.The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective effects of ALA against ischemic heart failure and the underlying mechanisms.The rat model of myocardial infarction (MI) was established by coronary artery ligation.Then Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used respectively to detect NLR family,pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome,TNF-α and IL-6 levels.Cardiac function was examined by a polyethylene catheter (PE-50) inserting into the left ventricular cavity through the right carotid artery.Data showed that compared with the sham MI group,serum TNF-α and IL-6 increased significantly 1 week after MI.In addition,NLRP3 expression,cysteinyl aspartate specific protease-1 (caspase-1) activity,IL-1β levels and neutrophil infiltration were increased in the ischemic myocardial tissue 1 week after MI;cardiac function decreased 4 weeks after MI.Supplementary ALA significantly reduced serum TNF-α and IL-6 levels in MI rats,inhibited NLRP3 expression and caspase-1 activity,decreased IL-1β levels,thus blocked neutrophil infiltration in myocardial tissue 1 week after MI.More importantly,supplementary ALA significantly improved cardiac function 4 weeks after MI.Taken together,ALA significantly inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome,TNF-α and IL-1 β and IL-6 in the early stage of MI and consequently improves cardiac function later after MI.
Keywords：Myocardial infarctionα-linolenic acidInflammasome
Publication Date：2018-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 207-213 )