Biochanin A Mitigates Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy Through Modulation of the NF-κB/Cbl-b/NLRP3 Signaling Axis

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of biochanin A (BCA) on cardiac hypertrophy and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. The research question was whether BCA can reverse heart dysfunction and attenuate cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by pressure overload and AngII, respectively, and how it interacts with the NLRP3 pyroptosis pathway to achieve these effects. Methods We employed an animal model of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and an in vitro model of AngII-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy to assess the effects of BCA. The expression of NLRP3 and its related signaling molecules was analyzed by western blotting, and the activity of the NLRP3 pathway was measured using pyroptosis assays. The role of Cbl-b, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, in BCA-mediated NLRP3 inhibition was also investigated. Results BCA was found to reverse heart dysfunction and attenuate cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by pressure overload and AngII. Mechanistically, BCA mitigated cardiac hypertrophy by targeting the NLRP3 pyroptosis pathway. The reduction in NLRP3 expression by BCA was predominantly mediated through the upregulation of Cbl-b, which enhanced the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of NLRP3. Additionally, BCA facilitated the upregulation of Cbl-b expression by interacting with NF-κB, preventing NF-κB binding to the promoter region of Cbl-b and reversing its suppressive action on Cbl-b expression. Conclusion This study provides initial evidence that BCA can protect against cardiac hypertrophy. Its mechanism of action involves interacting with NF-κB to promote the expression of Cbl-b, which facilitates the ubiquitination and degradation of NLRP3, ultimately inhibiting pyroptosis. This finding suggests that BCA may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.