The
nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)
inflammasome has a critical role in cerebral ischemic injury, and autophagy is related to activation of the
inflammasome under oxidative stress conditions. However, it is unclear how NLRP3
inflammasome activation is regulated.
Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) emerged as an important risk factor for
brain ischemia reperfusion injury, and GSK-3β inhibits autophagic activity in many diseases. In this study, we examined whether NLRP3
inflammasome-derived
inflammation could be ameliorated by GSK-3β inhibition in a
cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury model and assessed whether autophagy is involved in this process. To establish ischemic
reperfusion injury, we used a
middle cerebral artery occlusion-reperfusion (MCAO/R) model in rats. A chemical inhibitor (
SB216763) and GSK-3β
siRNA were used to suppress GSK-3β activation and GSK-3β expression in vivo. The results demonstrated that
SB216763 and GSK-3β
siRNA improved neurological scores, reduced
cerebral infarct volume, and decreased the levels of NLRP3
inflammasome, cleaved-caspase-1, IL-1β, and
IL-18. Inhibiting GSK-3β activation enhanced autophagic activity (ratio of LC3B-II/LC3B-I and p62/SQSTM1), whereas treating with an autophagy inhibitor (3-MA) abrogated the inhibitory effect on NLRP3
inflammasome activation after GSK-3β inhibition. These results suggest that inhibiting GSK-3β downregulates NLRP3
inflammasome expression by increasing autophagic activity in
cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. GSK-3β might be an attractive specific target and that it functions by regulating the NLRP3
inflammasome.