The NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the neuroprotective mechanism of neural stem cells against microglia‐mediated toxicity in SH‐SY5Y cells via the attenuation of tau hyperphosphorylation and amyloidogenesis

Abstract

HIGHLIGHTSNE4C cells suppress NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LPS‐stimulated BV2 cells.NE4C cells decrease the levels of caspase‐1 and IL‐1&bgr; in LPS‐stimulated BV2 cells.NE4C cells attenuate the neurotoxic effects of LPS‐stimulated BV2 cells by decreasing the level of p‐tau, A&bgr;, GSK3&bgr; and p‐p38&agr; MAPK in SH‐SY5Y cells.NE4C cells exert neuroprotective effects against microglia‐mediated toxicity possibly by regulating microglial neuroinflammation. ABSTRACT The cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer s disease (AD) is associated with beta‐amyloid (A&bgr;) and tau proteins, and is accompanied by inflammation. Recently, a novel inflammasome signaling pathway has been uncovered. Inflammasomes are implicated in the execution of inflammatory responses and pyroptotic death leading to neurodegeneration. Thus, the inflammasome signaling pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for AD. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent cells that can self‐renew and differentiate into distinct neural cells. NSC therapy has been considered to be a promising therapeutic approach in protecting the central nervous system and restoring it following damage. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the protective effects of NE4C neural stem cells against microglia‐mediated neurotoxicity and to explore molecular mechanisms mediating their actions. NE4C decreased the levels of caspase‐1 and IL‐1&bgr;, and attenuated the level of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its associated protein adapter, apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a C‐terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC) in LPS‐stimulated BV2 microglial cells, possibly by regulating the phosphorylation of p38&agr; MAPK. The conditioned media obtained from co‐culture of LPS‐stimulated BV2 and NE4C cells exhibited protective effects on SH‐SY5Y cells against microglia‐mediated neurotoxicity; this was associated with an attenuation of tau phosphorylation and amyloidogenesis and accompanied by down‐regulation of GSK‐3&bgr; and p38&agr; MAPK signalling pathways. In conclusion, the present study suggested that NSC therapy could be a potential strategy against microglia‐mediated neurotoxicity. NSCs regulate NLRP3 activation and IL‐1&bgr; secretion, which are critical in the initiation of the inflammatory responses, hence preventing the release of neurotoxic pro‐inflammatory factors by microglia. This eventually reduces tau hyperphosphylation and amyloidogenesis, possibly through the regulation of GSK‐3&bgr; and p38&agr; MAPK signalling pathways, and thus protects SH‐SY5Y cells against microglia‐mediated neurotoxicity.