Anti-inflammatory effect of emodin via attenuation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 8102 - 8109
• Main Authors: Han, Ji-Won, Shim, Do-Wan, Shin, Woo-Young, Heo, Kang-Hyuk, Kwak, Su-Bin, Sim, Eun-Jeong, Jeong, Jae-Hyun, Kang, Tae-Bong, Lee, Kwang-Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.04.2015
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cytokines; emodin; Emodin - pharmacology; Endotoxins - pharmacology; Herbal medicine; Inflammasomes - metabolism; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - metabolism; Inflammatory diseases; interleukin (IL)-1β; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular biology; Nigericin - metabolism; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; NLRP3 inflammasome; Oxygenases - metabolism; Phytochemicals; sepsis; Silicon Dioxide - metabolism
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms16048102

Emodin, an active constituent of oriental herbs, is widely used to treat allergy, inflammation, and other symptoms. This study provides the scientific basis for the anti-inflammasome effects of emodin on both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Bone marrow-derived macrophages were used to study the effects of emodin on inflammasome activation by using inflammasome inducers such as ATP, nigericin, and silica crystals. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxin shock model was employed to study the effect of emodin on in vivo efficacy. Emodin treatment attenuated interleukin (IL)-1β secretion via the inhibition of NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation induced by ATP, nigericin, and silica crystals. Further, emodin ameliorated the severity of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated symptoms in LPS-induced endotoxin mouse models. This study is the first to reveal mechanism-based evidence, especially with respect to regulation of inflammasome activation, substantiating traditional claims of emodin in the treatment of inflammation-related disorders.