Objective  To investigate the therapeutic effect of ghrelin in mice with bronchial asthma and its effect on pyroptosis.

  Methods  Thirty mice were randomly divided into control group, model groupovalbumin (OVA) modeling and treatment group (OVA combined with ghrelin), with 10 cases in each group. Mouse model of asthma was established, and airway injury was assessed by pathology and acetylcholine reactivity. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-5 (IL-5) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry and pathology were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ghrelin on asthma in mice. The expression levels of pyroptosis related proteins in lung tissues were analyzed by Western blot.

  Results  Morphological results showed that the macrophage infiltration and inflammatory scores were significantly improved in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Masson staining and airway reactivity test showed that pulmonary fibrosis was significantly improved and respiratory resistance was significantly decreased in the treatment group (P < 0.05). Compared with model group, the total white blood cell count in treatment group was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). After treatment, the expression levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-13 in treatment group were significantly lower than those in model group (P < 0.05). NLRP3 expression in lung tissue was significantly decreased, and the expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1 and interleukin-1B (IL-1B) were significantly decreased in the treatment group (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Ghrelin can treat asthma by reducing the degree of pyroptosis, which may provide a new idea for the treatment of asthma.