Effect of Quyu Humo Paste on the Repair of Esophageal Mucosa in Rats with Reflux Esophagitis by Regulating NLRP3/Caspase-1 Signaling Pathway

  OBJECTIVE  From the perspective of esophageal mucosal barrier repair, to explore the effect of Quyu Humo paste on nucleotide binding oligomeric domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/aspartate specific cysteine protease-1 (Caspase-1) signal pathway in rats with reflux esophagitis (RE), and to reveal the mechanism of Quyu Humo paste in the treatment of RE.

  METHODS  Rats were randomly divided into blank group (n=10), model group (n=10), western medicine group (n=10), low dose Quyu Humo paste group (n=10), middle dose Quyu Humo paste group (n=10) and high dose Quyu Humo paste group (n=10). Except the blank group, the RE rat model was established by "4.2 mm pyloric clip+2/3 gastric fundus ligation" in the other 5 groups. The rats in the blank group and model group were given starch+distilled water, each doses of Quyu Humo paste groups were treated with Quyu Humo paste of 0.54, 1.62, 4.86 g·kg^-1, respectively, and western medicine group were given aluminum and magnesium plus suspension for 14 d. On the 15th day, the rats were killed and the esophageal tissues were taken out. The contents of Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 in serum were detected by ELISA method, the protein expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in esophageal tissue were detected by Western blot, and the pathological changes of esophageal tissue were observed under light microscope with HE staining.

  RESULTS  The protein expressions of Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 in serum and NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in esophageal tissue in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, the contents of Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18 in serum and the protein expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in esophageal tissue decreased significantly in western medicine group, middle and high dose Quyu Humo paste groups (P < 0.001). Compared with the western medicine group, the protein expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in esophageal tissue and Caspase-1 in serum significantly decreased in the high dose Quyu Humo paste group (P < 0.01, P < 0.001).

  CONCLUSION  Quyu Humo paste can improve the injury of esophageal epithelium, repair esophageal mucosa and promote the healing of reflux esophagitis in rats by inhibiting the excessive activation of NLRP3 signal pathway, down-regulating the expression of Caspase-1, reducing the levels of IL-1β and IL-18, and antagonizing esophageal inflammation.