Summary: | Twenty eight 7-substitued fangchinoline analogues, of which twenty two were novel, were synthesized and evaluated for their effect to inhibit lipopolysaccharide/nigericin (LPS/NIG)-induced IL-1β release at both cell and protein levels at the concentration of 5 μM. Among them, compound <b>6</b> exhibited promising inhibitory potency against IL-β activation with an IC<sub>50</sub> value of 3.7 μM. Preliminary mechanism study revealed that <b>6</b> might target NLRP3 protein, and then block ASC pyroptosome formation with-NLRP3, rather than acting on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome (NF-κB and MAPK pathways) or caspase-1 protein. Our current study supported the potential role of compound <b>6</b> against IL-β activation, and provided powerful information for developing fangchinoline derivatives into a novel class of anti-inflammatory agents.
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