[Protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 aganist diabetic retinopathy by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome in type 2 diabetic mice].

Abstract

Ginsenoside Rg_1, one of the main active components of precious traditional Chinese medicine Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, has the anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-aging, neuroprotection, and other pharmacological effects. Diabetic retinopathy(DR), the most common complication of diabetes, is also the main cause of impaired vision and blindness in the middle-aged and the elderly. The latest research shows that ginsenoside Rg_1 can protect patients against DR, but the protection and the mechanism are rarely studied. This study mainly explored the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 against DR in type 2 diabetic mice and the mechanism. High fat diet(HFD) and streptozotocin(STZ) were used to induce type 2 diabetes in mice, and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was employed to observe pathological changes in the retina of mice. The immunohistochemistry was applied to study the localization and expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3(NLRP3) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in retina, and Western blot was used to detect the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, interleukin-1β(IL-1β), transient receptor potential channel protein 6(TRPC6), nuclear factor of activated T-cell 2(NFAT2), and VEGF in retina. The results showed that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly alleviated the pathological injury of retina in type 2 diabetic mice. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly decreased the expression of NLRP3 and VEGF in retinal ganglion cells, middle plexiform layer, and outer plexiform layer in type 2 diabetic mice. According to the Western blot results, ginsenoside Rg_1 significantly lowered the expression of p-NF-κB, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, TRPC6, NFAT2, and VEGF in retina of type 2 diabetic mice. These findings suggest that ginsenoside Rg_1 can significantly alleviate DR in type 2 diabetic mice, which may be related to inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and VEGF. This study provides experimental evidence for the clinical application of ginsenoside Rg_1 in the treatment of DR.

• Authors: Bin Li, Da-Chuan Zhang, Xue-Wang Li, Xia-Nan Dong, Wei-Ping Li, Wei-Zu Li
• Journal: Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica (Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi) Vol. 47 Issue 2 Pg. 476-483 (Jan 2022) ISSN: 1001-5302 [Print] China
• PMID: 35178992 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Ginsenosides
• Inflammasomes
• NF-kappa B
• NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
• Nlrp3 protein, mouse
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Topics

• Aged
• Animals
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (complications, drug therapy, genetics)
• Diabetic Retinopathy (drug therapy, genetics)
• Ginsenosides (pharmacology)
• Humans
• Inflammasomes (metabolism)
• Mice
• Middle Aged
• NF-kappa B (genetics, metabolism)
• NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein (genetics, metabolism)
• Signal Transduction
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (genetics)