Inhibitory effects of saeu-jeot extract on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and radiation-induced micronucleus formation

Food Sci Nutr. 2022 Apr 27;10(6):1921-1927. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2808. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Saeu-jeot, or shrimp paste, is a traditional Korean high-salt fermented seafood. This study elucidated the effects of saeu-jeot extract (SJE) on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and radiation-induced micronucleus formation.

Method: We treated lipopolysaccharide-primed mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages with the NLRP3 inflammasome activators ATP and nigericin. We also analyzed the acute effects of ionizing radiation on micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs) in whole-body gamma-irradiated male BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice after oral administration of SJE.

Results: SJE significantly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, reducing IL-1β secretion in vitro. In addition, the frequency of MnPCEs was significantly lower in SJE-treated mice.

Conclusions: SJE has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces radiation-induced chromosome damage. Advance in knowledge: There are no reports concerning the effects of SJE on NLRP3 inflammasome activation or radioprotection. This experiment showed the radioprotective effects of saeu-jeot.

Keywords: NLRP3; inflammasome; micronuclei; radiation; saeu‐jeot.