Abstract:Objective: To explore the impact of eupafolin on rats with secretory otitis media via the AMPK/NLRP3 pathway and preliminarily probe its potential mechanism. Methods: Fifty 6-8-week-old rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups: control, model, low-dose Eupolyphaga lutein (20mg/kg), high-dose Eupolyphaga lutein (80mg/kg), and high-dose Eupolyphaga lutein+AMPK inhibitor (80mg/kg + 20mg/kg), with 10 rats in each. Secretory otitis media rat models were established by endotoxin injection. Post-modeling, the low-, high-dose eupafolin and high-dose eupafolin+AMPK inhibitor groups received corresponding intraperitoneal drug injections, while the control and model groups got equal-volume saline. HE staining was used to observe middle ear mucosal tissue morphology; a micrometer, to measure its thickness; an ABR instrument, to detect the ABR response threshold; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, to test serum inflammatory factor levels; fluorescence quantitative PCR, to detect IFN-γ and IL-4 gene expression; and Western blot, to examine AMPK/NLRP3 pathway-related protein expression in rat mucosal tissue. Results: Compared to the control group, the model group had aggravated middle ear mucosal tissue pathology, increased thickness, ABR response threshold, inflammatory factor levels and NLRP3 protein expression (P<0.05), but decreased IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio and p-AMPK protein expression (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the low- and high-dose eupafolin groups showed alleviated middle ear mucosal tissue pathology, reduced thickness, ABR response threshold, inflammatory factor levels and NLRP3 protein expression (P<0.05), while the IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio and p-AMPK protein expression were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the high-dose eupafolin group, the high-dose+AMPK inhibitor group had reversed the above indicators (P<0.05). Conclusion: Eupolyphaga lutein can markedly ameliorate the inflammatory response in rats with secretory otitis media. Its possible mechanism is activating the AMPK pathway, suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation, reducing inflammatory factor release, and thereby mitigating middle ear mucosal tissue damage.
邓翔宇, 陈红兵. 基于AMPK/NLRP3通路探讨泽兰叶黄素对分泌性中耳炎大鼠的作用机制[J]. 河北医学, 2025, 31(10): 1657-1664.
DENG Xiangyu, CHEN Hongbing. The Mechanism of Lutein of Zephyr on Secretory Otitis Media Rats Based on AMPK/NLRP3 Pathway. HeBei Med, 2025, 31(10): 1657-1664.