Human norovirus (HNV) is one of the emerging and rapidly spreading groups of pathogens and the main cause of epidemic viral gastroenteritis globally. Due to a lack of in vitro culture systems and suitable animal models for HNV infection, murine norovirus (MNV) has become a common model. A recent study showed that MNV activates NLRP3 inflammasome leading to pyroptosis. Jatrorrhizine (JAT) is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Coptis Chinensis, which has been proven to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. However, whether JAT has an effect on norovirus gastroenteritis and the underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. Here, we found that JAT could ameliorate NLRP3-N-GSDMD-dependent pyroptosis induced by MNV infection through inhibiting the MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathways and decrease MNV replication in RAW264.7 macrophages, suggesting that JAT has the potential to be a therapeutic agent for treating norovirus gastroenteritis.
