Echinacoside inhibits NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway,reduces oral ulcer mucosal damage and inflammatory response in rats

LI Xia; GUAN Jingping; LI Ling

doi:10.13431/j.cnki.immunol.j.20240124

Abstract：Objective To investigate the influences of echinacoside(Ech)on oral mucosa and inflammatory response in rats with oral ulcer and its potential mechanism.Methods Thirty Wistar rats were randomly grouped into normal control group(NC group),oral ulcer model group(Model group),Ech treatment group(Ech group),Kouyanqing granule treatment group(KG group),and Ech+NLRP3 activator group(Ech+NLRP3 group),6 rats per group.After the rats in each group were treated accordingly,the changes in the oral ulcer area of the rats in each group were compared;ELISA was applied to detect the inflammatory response of the rats in each group;HE staining was applied to analyze the pathological changes of the oral mucosa of the rats in each group;and Western blot was applied to detect the expression of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3/cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 1/interleukin-1β(NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-Iβ)signaling pathway-related proteins in oral mucosa of rats in each group.Results In the oral ulcer model rats,the oral ulcer area increased and the oral mucosal pathological damage score increased,the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α and the protein levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and IL-1β were up-regulated(P＜0.05).Treatment with Ech and Kouyanqing granule significantly reduced the area of oral ulcers and the degree of pathological damage to the oral mucosa,down-regulated the levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α and the protein levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1 and IL-1β(P＜0.05).NLRP3 activator could partially reverse the protective effects of Ech treatment on oral mucosa and inflammatory response in rats with oral ulcer(P＜0.05).Conclusion Echinacoside can protect rats with oral ulcer from oral mucosal injury and inflammatory reaction by inhibiting the NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway.