EuHD1 protects against inflammatory injury driven by NLRP3 inflammasome

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) possessing anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities, are widely used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. However, its long-term or large use will cause serious gastrointestinal injury or cardiovascular adverse reactions, which limits its clinical application. We have synthesized a new class of NSAIDs, EuHD1, which can release hydrogen sulfide and have better gastrointestinal safety. However, the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanism of the drug is still unclear. In this paper, we explored the mechanism of EuHD1 on NLRP3 inflammasome and its effects on acute lung injury and acute liver injury in mice. In vitro results demonstrated that EuHD1 inhibited macrophage pyroptosis and LDH release induced by LPS combined with ATP. In addition, EuHD1 blocked NLRP3 inflammasome activation and suppressed following Caspase-1 activation and secretion of mature IL-1β. EuHD1 restrained intracellular ROS production and the formation of ASC oligomers, which inhibited the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In vivo results further showed that EuHD1 alleviated LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and inhibited the production of mature IL-1β and Caspase-1 (p20). Besides, EuHD1 improved D-GalN/LPS-induced acute liver injury, and inhibited SOD/MDA levels and oxidative stress injury, and blocked the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. In summary, we found that EuHD1 inhibits the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome through restraining the production of ROS and the formation of ASC oligomers, and has therapeutic effects on acute lung injury and liver injury in mice, indicating that EuHD1 has the potential to treat NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases.