NLRP3 inhibition alleviates neuroinflammation
To evaluate the role of NLRP3 in the neuroinflammation of EAE, MCC950, a potent, selective, small-molecule inhibitor of NLRP3, was used to block canonical and noncanonical NLRP3 activation 30. Treatment of MCC950 by i.p administration in EAE mice resulted in significant reduction in inflammatory cells infiltration by HE staining (Fig 4A), CD4+ cells infiltration (Fig 4B), and restoration of myelin sheath expression by LFB staining (Fig 4C) and MBP by western blot (Fig 4D). NLRP3 inhibition also reduced IL-1β level (Fig 4E) and TSLP level (Fig 4F) in the brain of EAE mice when compared to that without NLRP3 inhibition.