Exosomes from LPS-stimulated macrophages alleviate neuroinflammatory responses by reducing pyroptosis in systemic lipopolysaccharide-induced mice

Central nervous system (CNS) inflammation occurs in cognitive dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The newly discovered pattern of cell death in recent years is called pyroptosis, which is distinguished from apoptosis and necrosis, and is mainly dependent on caspase-1 mediated inflammatory response. Stem-derived exosomes have immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive effects. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the exosomes (Ex) secreted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages (LPS-Ex) to attenuate the neuroinflammatory response caused by systemic LPS stimulation by attenuating pyroptosis. We studied lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation in C57BL/6 mice by behavioral testing, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blotting, and other methods. We found that LPS-Ex can reduce the level of inflammatory factors, down-regulate the pyroptosis pathway and the inflammatory pathway of NF-κB, and improve the inflammatory response of neurological function in mice. The conclusion is that LPS-Ex relieves neuroinflammation by reducing pyroptosis. It can be used as a novel therapeutic strategy for neuroprotection and functional recovery in the onset of central nervous system inflammation.