Quercetin decreases sterile inflammation proteins NLRP3 and caspase 1 in clone-9 cell line damaged by hydrogen peroxide

NLRP3 inflammasome is very important in liver diseases and is intimately linked to oxidative stress. Quercetin is a significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biological molecule. The aim of current study was to investigate the effects of quercetin on oxidative stress and NLRP3 and caspase-1 proteins involved in sterile inflammation induced by H 2 O 2 in clone-9 cells. MTT, DCF-DA assays, immunocytochemical and fluorescence staining methods were used. After 24 h incubation with H 2 O 2 , the IC 50 was found to be 278 μM in clone-9 cells. The most effective dose of quercetin beside H 2 O 2 -associated damage was found to be 15 μM. It was shown that 278 μM of H 2 O 2 caused pyknosis in cell nuclei, while 15 μM of quercetin protected the cells from the pyknosis. Quercetin pretreatment was shown to reduce H 2 O 2 -induced ROS production significantly ( p < 0.05). It was found that NLRP3 and caspase-1 immunoreactivity were increased in H 2 O 2 -treated groups and quercetin pretreatment reduced the expression of these proteins. According to the results, quercetin reduceses sterile inflammation proteins and H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress in clone-9 liver cells. Quercetin may be therapeutic in the treatment of liver and NLRP3 inflammasome based diseases. Quercetin can also be taken with food for prophylactic purposes.