AUTHOR=Chen Jiyu , Huang Yanli , Bian Xiaohong , He Yan 

TITLE=Berberine Ameliorates Inflammation in Acute Lung Injury via NF-κB/Nlrp3 Signaling Pathway

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.851255

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.851255

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Inflammatory response is the key pathophysiological character of acute lung injury (ALI). Berberine (BBR), a natural quaternary ammonium alkaloid, plays a functional role of anti-inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. However, the underlying mechanism between BBR and ALI has not been clearly expounded. Here, we found that BBR improved the permeability of pulmonary and repressed the inflammatory factors in LPS-induced ALI model. In addition, we demonstrated that BBR could suppress the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB and further restrain the downstream gene of Nlrp3. Moreover, we also revealed that BBR could directly interact with Nlrp3 protein. After knocked down of Nlrp3 by using siRNA, the protective role of BBR was abrogated in vitro. The expression of IL-1β and IL-18 was downregulated by BBR via the two signaling pathway. Notably, in Nlrp3 deficient mice, the protective effect of BBR was abolished. These findings demonstrate that BBR has a depressant effect on inflammatory response caused by LPS via regulating the expression of Nlrp3, providing a potential therapeutic strategy in ALI.