2. Academic Validation
  3. Genistein upregulates AHR to protect against environmental toxin-induced NASH by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and reconstructing antioxidant defense mechanisms

Genistein upregulates AHR to protect against environmental toxin-induced NASH by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and reconstructing antioxidant defense mechanisms

  • J Nutr Biochem. 2023 Sep 2;109436. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2023.109436.
Shuhui Liu 1,  Jiwen Liu 1,  Yuting Wu 1,  Lei Tan 2,  Yan Luo 2,  Chenchen Ding 1,  Zhihui Tang 1,  Xizhi Shi 3,  Wentao Fan 4,  Suquan Song 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, China.
  • 2 Administration for Market Regulation of Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Supervision for Edible Agricultural Products, Shenzhen Centre of Inspection and Testing for Agricultural Products, Shenzhen, 518000, China.
  • 3 State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
  • 4 MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: fanwentao@njau.edu.cn.
  • 5 MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: suquan.song@njau.edu.cn.
PMID: 37666477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2023.109436
Abstract

We have previously proven that the environmental toxin could accelerate the development and progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the underlying mechanism associated with such excessive inflammation hasn't been fully illustrated. Although Genistein has been well accepted for its capability in anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation, its effect in ameliorating contaminants-induced NASH still needs to be identified. In this study, using chickens and primary chicken hepatocytes as models, we found that NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome were over-activated in bromoacetic acid (BAA, one of the typical environmental toxins)-induced NASH, characterized by the infiltration of inflammatory cell, and the increase of NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20 and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18) expressions. Interestingly, genistein treatment could recover these changes, with the sigh of restored activities of antioxidases, decreased expressions of NLRP3 inflammasome components, and increased levels of elements in phase I metabolic system. The detailed mechanism was that, via up-regulating Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR), genistein lifted mRNA levels of Cyp1-related genes to reconstruct Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) systems, and the raised AHR negatively regulated NLRP3 inflammasome activity to relieve inflammation. More important, the interaction and co-localization between AHR and NLRP3 was first proved, and genistein could promote the levels of AHR that interacted with NLRP3, which thereafter blocked the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Conclusively, in this research, we confirmed the AHR-dependent protective role of genistein in environmental toxin-linked NASH, which shed LIGHT on the potential precautions for contaminants-induced NASH.

Keywords

Genistein; NLRP3 inflammasome; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; cytochrome P450; environmental toxin; nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

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