Nuciferine restores potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia and kidney inflammation in mice

Nuciferine, a major aporphine alkaloid of the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera, was found to decrease serum urate levels and improved kidney function, as well as inhibited system and renal interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mice. Furthermore, nuciferine reversed expression alteration of renal urate transporter 1 (URAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, membrane 2 (ABCG2), organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1), and organic cation/carnitine transporters 1/2 (OCTN1/2) in hyperuricemic mice. More importantly, nuciferine suppressed renal activation of Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/NF-kappaB (TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB) signaling and NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome to reduce serum and renal IL-1β levels in hyperuricemic mice with renal inflammation reduction. The anti-inflammatroy effect of nuciferine was also confirmed in human proximal renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) incubated with 4 mg/dl uric acid for 24 h. This study firstly reported the anti-hyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory effects of nuciferine by regulating renal organic ion transporters and inflammatory signaling in hyperuricemia. These results suggest that a dietary supplement of nuciferine rich in lotus leaf may be potential for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia with kidney inflammation.