Lycopene Ameliorates Atrazine-Induced Pyroptosis in Spleen via Suppressing the Ox-mtDNA/Nlrp3 Inflammasome Pathway

Nlrp3 is a vital integration point of diverse extracellular stimuli and cellular stress. However, inappropriate activation of Nlrp3 results in progression of autoinflammatory and metabolic disorders. Atrazine, using widely in agricultural sector, is a toxic environmental factor for human. Here, this study found that atrazine could induce oxidative stress and the expression of Nfkb and IRF1 in spleen, promoting the ox-mtDNA formation. And production and release of ox-mtDNA stimulated the Nlrp3 inflammasome. Lastly, atrazine induced the pyroptosis in spleen mediating the activation of Nlrp3 inflammasome. Additionally, lycopene, a kind of carotenoid, is natural bioactive component in fruits and vegetables, which is applied towards reducing oxidative stress. It was found that lycopene could ameliorate the pyroptosis induced by atrazine via inhibition of the ox-mtDNA production. The results also provided evidence that lycopene had the potential role in prevention Nlrp3 inflammasome activation by depleting the ox-mtDNA.