Data from: A synthetic cationic antimicrobial peptide inhibits inflammatory response and the NLRP3 inflammasome by neutralizing LPS and ATP

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are one of the most important defense
mechanisms against bacterial infections in insects, plants, non-mammalian
vertebrates, and mammals. In the present study, a class of synthetic AMPs
was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. One cationic AMP, GW-A2,
demonstrated the ability to inhibit the expression levels of nitric oxide
(NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor
necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide
(LPS)-activated macrophages. GW-A2 reduced LPS-induced increases in the
phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein kinase
C-α/δ and the activation of NF-κB. GW-A2 also inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome
activation induced by LPS and ATP. Furthermore, in the mice injected with
LPS, GW-A2 reduced (1) the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the
serum; (2) the concentration of TNF-α in the peritoneal lavage; (3) the
expression levels of iNOS, COX-2 and NLRP3 in the liver and lung; (4) the
infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in the liver and lung. The
underlying mechanisms for the anti-inflammatory activity of GW-A2 were
found to be partially due to LPS and ATP neutralization. These results
provide insights into how GW-A2 inhibits inflammation and the NLRP3
inflammasome and provide a foundation for the design of rational
therapeutics for inflammation-related diseases.