Quercetin decreases sterile inflammation proteins NLRP3 and caspase 1 in clone-9 cell line damaged by hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

NLRP3 inflammasome is very important in liver diseases and is intimately linked to oxidative stress. Quercetin is a significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biological molecule. The aim of current study was to investigate the effects of quercetin on oxidative stress and NLRP3 and caspase-1 proteins involved in sterile inflammation induced by H2O2 in clone-9 cells. MTT, DCF-DA assays, immunocytochemical and fluorescence staining methods were used. After 24 h incubation with H2O2, the IC50 was found to be 278 μM in clone-9 cells. The most effective dose of quercetin beside H2O2-associated damage was found to be 15 μM. It was shown that 278 μM of H2O2 caused pyknosis in cell nuclei, while 15 μM of quercetin protected the cells from the pyknosis. Quercetin pretreatment was shown to reduce H2O2-induced ROS production significantly (p < 0.05). It was found that NLRP3 and caspase-1 immunoreactivity were increased in H2O2-treated groups and quercetin pretreatment reduced the expression of these proteins. According to the results, quercetin reduceses sterile inflammation proteins and H2O2-induced oxidative stress in clone-9 liver cells. Quercetin may be therapeutic in the treatment of liver and NLRP3 inflammasome based diseases. Quercetin can also be taken with food for prophylactic purposes.