Hyperbaric oxygen therapy attenuates heatstroke-induced hippocampal injury by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis.

Central nervous system (CNS) injury is the most prominent feature of heatstroke and the hippocampus is prone to damage. However, the mechanisms underlying the heatstroke-induced hippocampal injury remain unclear. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy prevents CNS injury in heatstroke mice. However, the underlying mechanisms of HBO in heatstroke-induced hippocampal injury remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the protective effects of HBO against hippocampal injury and its potential role in microglial pyroptosis in heatstroke rats. A rat heatstroke model and a heat stress model with a mouse microglial cell line (BV2) were, respectively, used to illustrate the effect of HBO on heat-induced microglial pyroptosis and . We used a combination of molecular and histological methods to assess microglial pyroptosis and neuroinflammation both and . The results revealed that HBO improved heatstroke-induced survival outcomes, hippocampal injury, and neurological dysfunction in rats. In addition, HBO mitigates microglial pyroptosis and reduces the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of heatstroke rats. experiments showed that HBO attenuated BV2 cell injury under heat stress. Furthermore, HBO prevented heat-induced pyroptosis of BV2 cells, and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β was reduced. Mechanistically, HBO alleviates heatstroke-induced neuroinflammation and hippocampal injury by preventing microglial pyroptosis. In conclusion, HBO attenuates heatstroke-induced neuroinflammation and hippocampal injury by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis.