Colloid &  Nanoscience  Journal

Colloid & Nanoscience Journal

Downregulation of NLRP3 by synthesized nanoencapsulated quercetin in human monocyte-like macrophages

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This study investigates the anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties of nanoencapsulated quercetin (QU) in a human monocyte-like macrophages (MLMs) model. Firstly, QU was purified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Subsequently, the nanophytosome containing QU was prepared using the thin-film hydration method and its physicochemical properties were examined. Flow cytometry was conducted to analyze the apoptosis and necrosis of the MLMs. Also, gene expression of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) in MLMs was done by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The HPLC analysis revealed a specific peak for QU at a retention time (RT) of 10.367 minutes. Moreover, the formulated nanoencapsulated QU physicochemical properties was with a size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC) and 24-hour slow-release rate of <100 nm ~0.3, -35.7 mV, 95%, 69% and 21.95%, respectively. Further, flow cytometry confirmed the remarkable increased apoptosis (P< 0.0001) in MLMs treated with nanoencapsulated QU. Gene expression by qPCR showed marked down-regulation of the key pro-inflammatory marker, NLRP3 at mRRNA level. These findings highlight the potential of synthesizes nanophytosome QU as an anti-inflammatory and apoptosis-inducing factor in human immune cells, and thus pharmacotherapy and biomedicine.

Graphical Abstract

Downregulation of NLRP3 by synthesized nanoencapsulated quercetin in human monocyte-like macrophages
Keywords

References
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v66.8948
Volume 3, Issue 2
Summer 2025
Pages 610-621

  • Receive Date 05 September 2025
  • Revise Date 14 October 2025
  • Accept Date 06 November 2025