Long Non-coding RNA H19 Promotes NLRP3-Mediated Pyroptosis After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats

NLRP3 inflammasomes have been reported to be an essential mediator in the inflammatory response during early brain injury (EBI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Recent studies have indicated that NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 can participate in the inflammatory response. However, the roles and functions of lncRNA H19 in NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis during EBI after SAH are unknown and need to be further elucidated. NLRP3 inflammasome proteins were significantly elevated in CSF of human with SAH induced EBI and presented a positive correlation with severity. In ipsilateral hemisphere cortex of rats, these NLRP3 inflammasome proteins were also increased and accompanied with upregulation of H19, and both of NLRP3 and H19 were peaked at 24 h after SAH. However, knockdown of H19 markedly decreased the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome proteins at 24 h after SAH in rats and also ameliorated EBI, showing improved neurobehavioral deficits, cerebral edema, and neuronal injury. Moreover, knocking down of H19 downregulated the expression of Gasdermin D (GSDMD) in microglia in SAH rats. Similarly, knockdown of H19 also alleviated OxyHb-induced pyroptosis and NLRP3-mediated inflammasomes activation in primary microglia. Lastly, H19 competitively sponged with rno-miR-138-5p and then upregulated NLRP3 expression in the post-SAH inflammatory response. lncRNA H19 promotes NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis by functioning as rno-miR-138-5p sponge in rats during EBI after SAH, which might provide a potential therapeutic target for post-SAH inflammation regulation.