The Novel Role of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Mycotoxin-Induced Toxicological Mechanisms.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by several fungi and moulds that exert toxicological effects on animals including immunotoxicity, genotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, and neurotoxicity. However, the toxicological mechanisms of mycotoxins are complex and unclear. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a multimeric cytosolic protein complex composed of the NLRP3 sensor, ASC adapter protein, and caspase-1 effector. Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a crucial role in innate immune defence and homeostatic maintenance. Recent studies have revealed that NLRP3 inflammasome activation is linked to tissue damage and inflammation induced by mycotoxin exposure. Thus, this review summarises the latest advancements in research on the roles of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the pathogenesis of mycotoxin exposure. The effects of exposure to multiple mycotoxins, including deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B1, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, ochratoxin A, and fumonisim B1, on pyroptosis-related factors and inflammation-related factors in vitro and in vivo and the pharmacological inhibition of specific and nonspecific NLRP3 inhibitors are summarized and examined. This comprehensive review contributes to a better understanding of the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in toxicity induced by mycotoxin exposure and provides novel insights for pharmacologically targeting NLRP3 as a novel anti-inflammatory agent against mycotoxin exposure.

The impact of the new environmental protection law on eco-innovation: evidence from green patent data of Chinese listed companies.

Innovation is an imperative way of harmonizing the relationship between environmental protection and economic growth. Reasonably creating institutional pressure to stimulate the innovation vitality of enterprises is a crucial issue in promoting the modernization of ecological environment governance systems and governance capacity. This paper considered China's new environmental protection law (NEPL) as a quasi-natural experiment to evaluate the impact of environmental regulation on enterprise eco-innovation in a difference-in-difference (DID) framework. It also identifies the conditions of the NEPL that encourage enterprise eco-innovation. We found that the NEPL significantly hinders the level of enterprise eco-innovation. This inhibition is mainly associated with invention patents with high degrees of innovation rather than utility model patents, resulting from tightening financing constraints. Further, when considering enterprise heterogeneity in terms of ownership, size, and cost transfer ability, private and small-sized enterprises and enterprises with higher cost transfer ability are more affected by the implementation of the NEPL. Furthermore, enterprises with a better business environment are more likely to perform innovation activities. Our findings have valuable implications for evaluating the effects of policy implementation more scientifically and comprehensively, and consequently, promoting the "innovation compensation effect" of environmental regulation.