Yuwei Zheng , Chunyu Qiao , Wanzhe Xiao , Bingxue Liu , Wenyuan Long , Jiexing Zhang , Shuai Lian , Xuming Deng , Hongming Lv
{"title":"孕烷X受体激活减轻肠道炎症:焦亡和坏死抑制的作用。","authors":"Yuwei Zheng , Chunyu Qiao , Wanzhe Xiao , Bingxue Liu , Wenyuan Long , Jiexing Zhang , Shuai Lian , Xuming Deng , Hongming Lv","doi":"10.1016/j.intimp.2025.115620","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intestinal inflammation compromises epithelial barrier integrity and disrupts immunological homeostasis, escalating the risk of severe gastrointestinal disorders. The Pregnane X Receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, is critical for maintaining intestinal structural integrity and suppressing inflammation, although its mechanistic underpinnings remain poorly characterized. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of PCN, a PXR agonist, in mitigating intestinal inflammation using two models: enterohaemorrhagic <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7 (EHEC)-infected mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated intestinal epithelial cells. PCN administration significantly improved survival rates in EHEC-challenged mice, alleviated intestinal mucosal damage, and restored tight junction protein (ZO-1 and occludin) expression. Concurrently, PCN attenuated Paneth cell dysfunction, macrophage hyperactivation, and pro-inflammatory mediator release (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6). In vitro, PCN counteracted LPS-induced barrier disruption and inflammation by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK axis and downstream pyroptotic (NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD), and necroptotic (RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL) signaling cascades. Interestingly, both EHEC infection and LPS stimulation impaired PCN-driven PXR activation. While PCN rescued EHEC-induced mortality, histological damage, and barrier dysfunction in wild-type mice, its protective effects were markedly diminished in PXR-knockout (<em>PXR</em><sup>−/−</sup>) mice. Furthermore, PXR silencing in cultured cells abolished PCN-mediated inhibition of NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasome, and necroptosis pathways. These results demonstrate that PXR activation coordinately blocks pyroptosis and necroptosis by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK-NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL axis, thereby preserving intestinal homeostasis. This dual-pathway targeting positions PXR as a promising therapeutic candidate for inflammatory bowel diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13859,"journal":{"name":"International immunopharmacology","volume":"166 ","pages":"Article 115620"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Pregnane X receptor activation attenuates intestinal inflammation: The role of pyroptosis and necroptosis inhibition\",\"authors\":\"Yuwei Zheng , Chunyu Qiao , Wanzhe Xiao , Bingxue Liu , Wenyuan Long , Jiexing Zhang , Shuai Lian , Xuming Deng , Hongming Lv\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.intimp.2025.115620\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><div>Intestinal inflammation compromises epithelial barrier integrity and disrupts immunological homeostasis, escalating the risk of severe gastrointestinal disorders. The Pregnane X Receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, is critical for maintaining intestinal structural integrity and suppressing inflammation, although its mechanistic underpinnings remain poorly characterized. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of PCN, a PXR agonist, in mitigating intestinal inflammation using two models: enterohaemorrhagic <em>Escherichia coli</em> O157:H7 (EHEC)-infected mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated intestinal epithelial cells. PCN administration significantly improved survival rates in EHEC-challenged mice, alleviated intestinal mucosal damage, and restored tight junction protein (ZO-1 and occludin) expression. Concurrently, PCN attenuated Paneth cell dysfunction, macrophage hyperactivation, and pro-inflammatory mediator release (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6). In vitro, PCN counteracted LPS-induced barrier disruption and inflammation by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK axis and downstream pyroptotic (NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD), and necroptotic (RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL) signaling cascades. Interestingly, both EHEC infection and LPS stimulation impaired PCN-driven PXR activation. While PCN rescued EHEC-induced mortality, histological damage, and barrier dysfunction in wild-type mice, its protective effects were markedly diminished in PXR-knockout (<em>PXR</em><sup>−/−</sup>) mice. Furthermore, PXR silencing in cultured cells abolished PCN-mediated inhibition of NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasome, and necroptosis pathways. These results demonstrate that PXR activation coordinately blocks pyroptosis and necroptosis by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK-NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL axis, thereby preserving intestinal homeostasis. This dual-pathway targeting positions PXR as a promising therapeutic candidate for inflammatory bowel diseases.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":13859,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"International immunopharmacology\",\"volume\":\"166 \",\"pages\":\"Article 115620\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":4.7000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-10-04\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"International immunopharmacology\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156757692501611X\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q2\",\"JCRName\":\"IMMUNOLOGY\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International immunopharmacology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156757692501611X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"IMMUNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
Pregnane X receptor activation attenuates intestinal inflammation: The role of pyroptosis and necroptosis inhibition
Intestinal inflammation compromises epithelial barrier integrity and disrupts immunological homeostasis, escalating the risk of severe gastrointestinal disorders. The Pregnane X Receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptor, is critical for maintaining intestinal structural integrity and suppressing inflammation, although its mechanistic underpinnings remain poorly characterized. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of PCN, a PXR agonist, in mitigating intestinal inflammation using two models: enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC)-infected mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated intestinal epithelial cells. PCN administration significantly improved survival rates in EHEC-challenged mice, alleviated intestinal mucosal damage, and restored tight junction protein (ZO-1 and occludin) expression. Concurrently, PCN attenuated Paneth cell dysfunction, macrophage hyperactivation, and pro-inflammatory mediator release (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6). In vitro, PCN counteracted LPS-induced barrier disruption and inflammation by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK axis and downstream pyroptotic (NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD), and necroptotic (RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL) signaling cascades. Interestingly, both EHEC infection and LPS stimulation impaired PCN-driven PXR activation. While PCN rescued EHEC-induced mortality, histological damage, and barrier dysfunction in wild-type mice, its protective effects were markedly diminished in PXR-knockout (PXR−/−) mice. Furthermore, PXR silencing in cultured cells abolished PCN-mediated inhibition of NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasome, and necroptosis pathways. These results demonstrate that PXR activation coordinately blocks pyroptosis and necroptosis by modulating the TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK-NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL axis, thereby preserving intestinal homeostasis. This dual-pathway targeting positions PXR as a promising therapeutic candidate for inflammatory bowel diseases.
期刊介绍:
International Immunopharmacology is the primary vehicle for the publication of original research papers pertinent to the overlapping areas of immunology, pharmacology, cytokine biology, immunotherapy, immunopathology and immunotoxicology. Review articles that encompass these subjects are also welcome.
The subject material appropriate for submission includes:
• Clinical studies employing immunotherapy of any type including the use of: bacterial and chemical agents; thymic hormones, interferon, lymphokines, etc., in transplantation and diseases such as cancer, immunodeficiency, chronic infection and allergic, inflammatory or autoimmune disorders.
• Studies on the mechanisms of action of these agents for specific parameters of immune competence as well as the overall clinical state.
• Pre-clinical animal studies and in vitro studies on mechanisms of action with immunopotentiators, immunomodulators, immunoadjuvants and other pharmacological agents active on cells participating in immune or allergic responses.
• Pharmacological compounds, microbial products and toxicological agents that affect the lymphoid system, and their mechanisms of action.
• Agents that activate genes or modify transcription and translation within the immune response.
• Substances activated, generated, or released through immunologic or related pathways that are pharmacologically active.
• Production, function and regulation of cytokines and their receptors.
• Classical pharmacological studies on the effects of chemokines and bioactive factors released during immunological reactions.