Qingfei Touxie Decoction mediates NLRP3 inflammasome to inhibit NF-κB signaling pathway and improves inflammatory response in mice with Mycoplasma pneumonia

  Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of Qingfei Touxie Decoction on Mycoplasma Pneumonia (MPP) mice and its mechanism.

  Method 40 male SPF BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, Qingfei Touxie Decoction low, medium and high dose groups, each with 8 mice. A mouse model of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia was established by nasal drip infusion of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP). The mice in the model group were given normal saline. A daily dose of 800 mg/kg body weight was administered with Qingfei Touxie Decoction suspension. After two weeks of treatment, the mouse lung tissue index was calculated; HE staining was used to detect lung tissue pathological changes; TUNEL was used to detect cell apoptosis in the mouse lung; ELISA was used to detect IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL in the alveolar lavage fluid of each mouse -6, IL-18 content; qPCR detection of NLRP3, MyD88 and NF-κB mRNA expression in lung tissue; Western Blot detection of NLRP3, MyD88 and p-NF-κB protein expression in lung tissue.

  Results Qingfei Touxie Decoction significantly reduced the lung index of MPP mice, reduced lung pathological damage and cell apoptosis rate (P<0.05); Qingfei Touxie Decoction could also significantly reduce IL-1β and TNF-α in alveolar lavage fluid , IL-6, IL-18 levels (P<0.05); and reduced NLRP3, MyD88 and NF-κB mRNA and protein expression (P<0.05).

  Conclusion Qingfei Touxie Decoction improves lung injury in mice with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB signaling pathway.