The NLRP3 inflammasome is a caspase-1-containing multi-protein complex that controls the release of IL-1β and plays important roles in the development of inflammatory disease. Here, we report that resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound naturally produced by plants, inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome-derived IL-1β secretion and pyroptosis in macrophages. Resveratrol inhibits the activation step of the NLRP3 inflammasome by suppressing mitochondrial damage. Resveratrol also induces autophagy by activating p38, and macrophages treated with an autophagy inhibitor are resistant to the suppressive effects of resveratrol. In addition, resveratrol administration mitigates glomerular proliferation, glomerular sclerosis, and glomerular inflammation in a mouse model of progressive IgA nephropathy. These findings were associated with decreased renal mononuclear leukocyte infiltration, reduced renal superoxide anion levels, and inhibited renal NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Our data indicate that resveratrol suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by preserving mitochondrial integrity and by augmenting autophagy.

g Klebsiella pneumoniae (strain 43816, K2 serotype) induces interleukin-1␤ (IL-1␤) secretion, but neither the bacterial factor triggering the activation of these inflammasome-dependent responses nor whether they are mediated by NLRP3 or NLRC4 is known. In this study, we identified a capsular polysaccharide (K1-CPS) in K. pneumoniae (NTUH-K2044, K1 serotype), isolated from a primary pyogenic liver abscess (PLA K. pneumoniae), as the Klebsiella factor that induces IL-1␤ secretion in an NLRP3-, ASC-, and caspase-1-dependent manner in macrophages. K1-CPS induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and NF-B activation. Inhibition of both the mitochondrial membrane permeability transition and mitochondrial ROS generation inhibited K1-CPS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, IL-1␤ secretion in macrophages infected with PLA K. pneumoniae was shown to depend on NLRP3 but also on NLRC4 and TLR4. In macrophages infected with a K1-CPS deficiency mutant, an lipopolysaccharide (LPS) deficiency mutant, or K1-CPS and LPS double mutants, IL-1␤ secretion levels were lower than those in cells infected with wild-type PLA K. pneumoniae. Our findings indicate that K1-CPS is one of the Klebsiella factors of PLA K. pneumoniae that induce IL-1␤ secretion through the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Bamboo vinegar (BV), a natural liquid derived from the condensation produced during bamboo charcoal production, has been used in agriculture and as a food additive, but its application to immune modulation has not been reported. Here, we demonstrated that BV has anti-inflammatory activities both in vitro and in vivo. BV reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide levels in, and interleukin-6 secretion by, lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages without affecting tumor necrosis factor-α secretion and cyclooxygenase-2 expression. The mechanism for the anti-inflammatory effect of BV involved decreased reactive oxygen species production and protein kinase C-α/δ activation. Furthermore, creosol (2-methoxy-4-methylphenol) was indentified as the major anti-inflammatory compound in BV. Impaired cytokine expression and NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation was seen in mice treated with creosol. These findings provide insights into how BV regulates inflammation and suggest that it may be a new source for the development of anti-inflammatory agents or a healthy supplement for preventing and ameliorating inflammation- and NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases, including metabolic syndrome.

Two polyenylpyrroles from a soil ascomycete Gymnoascus reessii were previously identified as hit compounds in screening for cytotoxicity against lung cancer cells. These compounds and various analogs, which have been previously synthesized and tested for anti-lung cancer cell activity, were tested for anti-inflammatory activity. After preliminary screening for cytotoxicity for RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells, the non-toxic compounds were tested for anti-inflammatory activity using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 1h, 1i, and 1n reduced LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, with respective ED50 values of 15 ± 2, 16 ± 2, and 17 ± 2 µM. They also reduced expression of inducible NO synthase and interleukin-6 (IL-6) without affecting cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Compound 1h also reduced secretion of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α by LPS-activated J774A.1 murine macrophage cells, primary mice peritoneal macrophages, and JAWSII murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and reduced NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion by LPS + adenosine triphosphate-activated J774A.1 and JAWSII cells. The underlying mechanisms for the anti-inflammatory activity of compound 1h were found to be a decrease in LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and NF-κB activation and a decrease in ATP-induced ROS production and PKC-α phosphorylation. These results provide promising insights into the anti-inflammatory activity of these conjugated polyenes and a molecular rationale for future therapeutic intervention in inflammation-related diseases. They also show how compound 1h regulates inflammation and suggest it may be a new source for the development of anti-inflammatory agents to ameliorate inflammation- and NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for 5.8% of all malignancies in Taiwan and the incidence of OSCC is on the rise. OSCC is also a common malignancy worldwide and the five-year survival rate remains poor. Therefore, new and effective treatments are needed to control OSCC. In the present study we have investigated the efficacy and associated mechanisms of polyenylpyrroles and their analogs in both in vitro cell culture and in vivo nude mice xenografts. Auxarconjugatin B (compound 1a) resulted in cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and caspase-dependent apoptosis in OEC-M1 and HSC-3 cells by activating DNA damage and mitochondria dysfunction through the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, increase in B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein level, and decrease in B-cell lymphoma-2 level. Compound 1a-induced generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species through cytochrome P450 1A1 was identified as a major mechanism of its effect for DNA damage, mitochondria dysfunction and apoptosis, which was reversed by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine as well as cytochrome P450 1A1 inhibitor and specific siRNA. Furthermore, compound 1a-treated nude mice showed a reduction in the OEC-M1 xenograft tumor growth and an increase in the caspase-3 activation in xenograft tissue. These results provide promising insights as to how compound 1a mediates cytotoxicity and may prove to be a molecular rationale for its translation into a potential therapeutic against OSCC.