Irisin suppresses pancreatic β cell pyroptosis in T2DM by inhibiting the NLRP3-GSDMD pathway and activating the Nrf2-TrX/TXNIP signaling axis

BACKGROUND: Irisin plays a key role in metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanism underlying the link between irisin and the development of T2DM, particularly in pancreatic islet β-cells, remains unknown. METHODS: In vitro, Min6 cells were treated with high glucose (HG) to generate T2DM cell models. GSDMD-N staining, Western blotting assays, and ELISA were performed to measure the expression levels of GSDMD, caspase 1, IL-1β, and IL-18. Next, the NLRP3 stimulator, ATP, was used to assess the effect of irisin on NLRP3 inflammasome. To evaluate the function of the Nrf2-TrX/TXNIP signaling axis, the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 was used. For in vivo assessment, we first established T2DM model mice. Then, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to observe the islet morphology, and the immunofluorescence technique was used to examine the mass of α and β cells. To confirm the role of the Nrf2-TrX/TXNIP signaling axis, ML385 was injected into the mice. Immunofluorescence of Nrf2, caspase 1, and GSDMD was detected in the islet cells of the model mice to verify the results. RESULTS: We found that irisin treatment significantly decreased the expression of GSDMD-N (P31) and cleaved caspase-1 (p20), decreased caspase1 activity, and inhibited the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 in HG-treated Min6 cells. We also found that irisin inhibited oxidative stress and NLRP3 expression by activating the Nrf2-TrX/TXNIP signaling axis. Additionally, in the T2DM model mice, irisin enhanced the function of islet cells, decreased insulin resistance, and preserved the morphology of pancreatic islets. CONCLUSION: We showed in this study that irisin can be used for treating pyroptosis in HG-induced islet β-cells and T2DM model mice. We also found that irisin inhibits pyroptosis and oxidative stress by inhibiting the NLRP3-GSDMD pathway and activating the Nrf2-TrX/TXNIP signaling axis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13098-023-01216-5.