Suppressive effect of Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch extract on rheumatoid arthritis in mice by modulating inflammasome and bile acid metabolism

Tripterygium hypoglaucum (Levl.) Hutch (THH) has long been used as a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. However, it is unclear whether the anti-RA mechanism of THH is associated with inflammasome or gut-joint axis. In this study, we aimed to explore the critical role of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and bile acid (BA) in the anti-RA mechanism. Complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-injected mice were treated with THH extract (250 mg/kg/d) for 35 days, and joint swelling and disease scores were measured. After THH treatment, the joint swelling and RA disease score in CFA-treated mice significantly subsided. The increased ratios of lymphocytes, monocytes, and white blood cells were attenuated by THH treatment. Notably, THH treatment blocked the inflammation in both joints and colons by suppressing the NLRP3-mediated inflammasome, as indicated by NLRP3, interleukin 1beta (IL-1β), and Caspase-1. Meanwhile, THH significantly remodeled the bile acid (BA) profiles in RA mice. Spearman’s analysis shed light on the close link between BAs, NLRP3 inflammasome, and RA indicators. However, THH treatment failed to improve inflammasome activation, snoptivis, and joint swelling in RA mice with gut microbiota depletion. In summary, we revealed the pivotal role of BA-mediated gut-joint axis and inflammasome in THH’s RA amelioration. In the future, more work should be done to explain the in-depth mechanism between altered BAs and inflammasome.