Nod-Like Receptor Protein 3 and Nod-Like Receptor Protein 1 Inflammasome Activation in the Hippocampal Region of Postmortem Methamphetamine Chronic User Publisher Pubmed



Mahmoudias GR^{1, 2} ; Abbaszadeh HA^{1, 2} ; Rezaeitavirani M³ ; Abdollahifar MA² ; Khoramgah MS⁴ ; Niknazar S¹ ; Darabi S⁵ ; Roozbahany NA⁶
Source: Bratislava Medical Journal Published:2019

Abstract

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (Meth) is one of the most important central nervous system (CNS) stimulant abuse drugs that cause long-term or permanent damage to different regions of the brain, particularly hippocampus, by neuronal apoptosis and infl ammation. In this study, we evaluated Nodlike Receptor Protein 3(NLRP3) and Nod-like Receptor Protein1 (NLRP1) Infl ammasome Activation in the Hippocampal Region of postmortem Meth Chronic User. METHODS: Molecular and histological analyses were conducted on the brain of 14 non-addicted and 11 Meth users separately. The expression level of NLRP1, NLRP3 was measured using western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques. Histopathological assessment was performed with stereological Cell Counting of hippocampal cells stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Moreover, Tunel staining was carried out in order to detect any kind of DNA damage. NLRP1 and NLRP3 proteins in the hippocampal region of Meth addicts was observed. The stereological analysis in the hippocampus of the human brain revealed increased neurodegeneration. Furthermore, the increased rate of apoptosis and cell death were signifi cant and confi rmed by Tunel assay in the hippocampus of Meth groups. CONCLUSION: Chronic Meth abuse could result in increases of NLRP1 and NLRP3 and induction of infl ammation and apoptosis in the hippocampus in Meth groups (Tab. 1, Fig. 9, Ref. 40). Text in PDF www.elis.sk. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.