Protective effects of specnuezhenide on seawater inhalation-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway

GAO Jiaying; GUO Xian; ZHAO Shihong; WANG Yifeng; JIN Faguang

doi:10.13276/j.issn.2097-1656.2025.06.003

Abstract：Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of specnuezhenide(SPE)on seawater inhalation-induced acute lung injury(SW-ALI).Methods A total of 24 SPF-grade 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups:blank control group(Con group),seawater group(SW group),low-dose SPE-treated group(LD group),and high-dose SPE-treated group(HD group),with 6 mice in each group.LD group and HD group were fed with 50 mg/(kg·d)and 100 mg/(kg·d)SPE by intragastric administration,respectively,while SW group was fed with equal volume of normal saline by intragastric administration.The drug and normal saline were administered once a day for 3 d.The SW-ALI model was established 2 h after the last administration of the drug and normal saline.The mice were executed 24 h after modeling,and the pathological changes of lung tissue were observed by HE staining.The wet-to-dry weight ratio(W/D)of the lungs and the protein content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)of the mice in each group were detected.The levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α in BALF were detected by ELISA,and qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect NF-κB and NLRP3 mRNA and protein expression levels in lung tissues.Results Compared with Con group,mice in the SW group showed obvious lung injury and increased inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissues and alveoli.The W/D of the lungs,the protein and IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α contents in BALF,and the mRNA and protein levels of NF-κB and NLRP3 in lung tissues were all significantly increased(P＜0.05).Compared with SW group,the pathological state of lung tissue in LD group and HD group was significantly alleviated,and the W/D of the lungs,the protein and IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α contents in BALF,and the mRNA and protein levels of NF-κB and NLRP3 in lung tissues were all significantly reduced(P＜0.05).Conclusion SPE alleviates SW-ALI in mice by inhibiting NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory signaling pathway.