MCC950 attenuates thyroidectomy-induced retching-like behavior by inhibiting NLRP3-mediated IL-1β release

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common complication following surgical procedures, which can significantly impair the quality of patient care, delay discharge, and hinder the resumption of daily activities. In clinical practice, the incidence of PONV after thyroid surgery is approximately 30 %, with a higher prevalence among female patients. Although existing studies have identified various risk factors, treatment methods, and preventive strategies for PONV, research progress in this field has been relatively slow in recent years. Given that rodents lack a functional emetic reflex, precluding direct observation of vomiting, there remains a paucity of suitable animal models for studying PONV. Prior studies have been confined to anatomical and pharmacological investigations, while research on the molecular, cellular, and neural circuit mechanisms of post-thyroidectomy PONV remains scarce. In the existing research, some scientists have defined the behavior of mice opening their mouths as the occurrence of nausea and vomiting in mice. Here, we aim to establish a rodent model of thyroidectomy-induced retching-like behavior (TIRB) in mice to mimic PONV, thereby enabling systematic characterization of its neural and molecular regulatory pathways.

In this study, a mouse model of retching-like behavior was established using thyroidectomy. Using transcriptomics, we explored the up-regulated genes after TIRB, focusing on finding feasible targets for TIRB treatment. Meanwhile, we used immunofluorescence and qPCR to verify the expression of up-regulated genes.

Our screening revealed that IL-1β, an inflammatory factor associated with NLRP3, was significantly up-regulated after TIRB. In addition, immunofluorescence revealed a significant increase in NLRP3 expression in area postrema, and treatment with MCC950, a specific NLRP3 inhibitor, decreased retching-like behavior incidence in mice.

These results suggest that NLRP3-related molecular pathways may be closely related to TIRB occurrence. NLRP3 could be a novel treatment target of TIRB.