ASK1 Inhibition Reduces Cell Death and Hepatic Fibrosis in an Nlrp3 Mutant Liver Injury Model
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ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to investigate whether pharmacologic inhibition of ASK1 could attenuate hepatic fibrosis driven by inflammasome activation using gain-of-function NOD-like receptor protein 3 (Nlrp3) mutant mice.
Project description:Inflammasome, activated by pathogen-derived and host-derived danger signals, constitutes a multimolecular signaling complex that serves as a platform for caspase-1 (CASP1) activation and interleukin-1beta (IL1B) maturation. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome requires two-step signals. The first “priming” signal (Signal 1) enhances gene expression of inflammasome components. The second “activation” signal (Signal 2) promotes the assembly of inflammasome components. Deregulated activation of NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the pathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). However, at present, the precise mechanism regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation and deactivation remains largely unknown. By genome-wide gene expression profiling, we studied the molecular network of NLRP3 inflammasome activation-responsive genes in a human monocyte cell line THP-1 sequentially given two-step signals. We identified the set of 83 NLRP3 inflammasome activation-responsive genes. Among them, we found the NR4A nuclear receptor family NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3, the EGR family EGR1, EGR2, and EGR3, the IkappaB family NFKBIZ, NFKBID, and NFKBIA as a key group of the genes that possibly constitute a negative feedback loop for shutting down inflammation following NLRP3 inflammasome activation. By molecular network analysis, we identified a complex network of NLRP3 inflammasome activation-responsive genes involved in cellular development and death, and immune and inflammatory responses, where transcription factors AP-1, NR4A, and EGR serve as a hub. Thus, NLRP3 inflammasome activation-responsive genes constitute the molecular network composed of a set of negative feedback regulators for prompt resolution of inflammation. To load the Signal 1 (S1), THP-1 cells were incubated for 3 hours in the culture medium with or without inclusion of 0.2 microgram/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To load the Signal 2 (S2), they were incubated further for 2 hours in the culture medium with inclusion of 10 microM nigericin sodium salt dissolved in ethanol or the equal v/v% concentration of ethanol (vehicle), followed by processing for microarray analysis on Human Gene 1.0 ST Array (Affymetrix).
Project description:The innervation of skeletal myofibers exerts a crucial influence on the maintenance of muscle tone and normal operation, but little is known concerning atrophy and its underlying mechanisms in denervated muscle to date. Here, we reported that activated NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome with pyroptotic cell death occurred in denervated gastrocnemius in the mouse model of sciatic denervation. This damage causes interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) release,facilitating the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) activation, which was responsible for muscle proteolysis. Conversely, genetic knock-out of muscular NLRP3 inhibited the pyroptosis-associated protein expression and ameliorate muscle atrophy significantly. Meanwhile, co-treatment with shRNA-NLRP3, also remarkably attenuated NLRP3 inflammasome activator (NIA)-induced C2C12 myotube pyroptosis and atrophy. Interestingly, we also observed a correlation between NLRP3 inflammasome activation and muscular apoptosis possibly via caspase 1 mediation after denervation. This work for the first time elucidates on the roles and mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome in skeletal muscle atrophy during denervation and suggests the potential contribution to the pathogenesis of neuromuscular diseases.
Project description:Immune cells sense the microenvironment to fine-tune their inflammatory responses. Patients with cryopyrin associated periodic syndrome (CAPS), caused by mutations in the NLRP3 gene, present auto-inflammation and its manifestation is largely dependent on environmental cues. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we uncover that KCNN4, a calcium-activated potassium channel, links PIEZO-mediated mechanotransduction to NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Yoda1, a PIEZO1 agonist, lowers the threshold for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. PIEZO-mediated sensing of stiffness and shear stress increases NLRP3-dependent inflammation. Myeloid-specific deletion of PIEZO1/2 protects mice from gouty arthritis. Activation of PIEZO1 triggers calcium influx, which activates KCNN4 to evoke potassium efflux promoting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Activation of PIEZO signaling is sufficient to activate the inflammasome in cells expressing CAPS-causing NLRP3 mutants via KCNN4. Finally, pharmacologic inhibition of KCNN4 alleviates auto-inflammation in CAPS patient cells and in CAPS-mimicking mice. Thus, PIEZO-dependent mechanical inputs augment inflammation in NLRP3-dependent diseases including CAPS.
Project description:Aging is the major risk factor for cardiovascular and many other chronic diseases. During this natural process, many alterations occur in the organism which are associated with progressive impairment of several metabolic pathways related to body composition, insulin resistance, mitochondrial and autophagy dysfunction and inflammation. Recently, the role of NLRP3 inflammasome has been studied in cardiovascular diseases showing its implication in the pathological progression of atherosclerosis, heart failure, and hypertension. However, the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiac aging has been less well studied. Herein, we investigate the molecular mechanisms by which NLRP3 inhibition may attenuate cardiac aging. Ablation of NLRP3 inflammasome increased lifespan and protected mice from age-related increased insulin sensitivity, reduced IGF-1 and leptin/adiponectin ratio levels, and reduced cardiac damage with protection of the prolongation of age–dependent PR interval, which is associated with atrial fibrillation by cardiovascular aging. Furthermore, old NLRP3 KO mice showed an inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and autophagy improvement compared with old wild type mice and preserved Nampt-mediated NAD+ levels with increased SIRT1 protein expression. These findings suggest that suppression of NLRP3 prevented many age-associated changes in the heart and preserved cardiac function of aged mice.
Project description:The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multi-protein complex that triggers the activation of the inflammatory protein caspase-1 and the maturation of the cytokine IL-1 in response to microbes and other danger signals in host cells. Here, we sought a deeper understanding of how the NLRP3 inflammasome is regulated. We found that inflammasome activation induced the Src family kinase Lyn to phosphorylate NLRP3 at Tyr918, and that this phosphorylation of NLRP3 correlated with a subsequent increase in its ubiquitination, which facilitated its proteasome-mediated degradation. NLRP3 tyrosine phosphorylation and ubiquitination was abrogated in Lyn-deficient macrophages, which produced increased amounts of IL-1. Furthermore, mice lacking Lyn were highly susceptible to LPS-induced septic shock in an NLRP3-dependent manner. Our data demonstrate that Lyn-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of NLRP3 is a prerequisite for its ubiquitination, thus dampening NLRP3 inflammasome activity.
Project description:Streptococcus (S.) pneumoniae is the most frequently isolated causative pathogen community-acquired pneumonia, a leading cause of mortality worldwide. We investigated the role of the inflammasome sensor NLRP3 and the inflammasome adapter ASC during S. pneumoniae pneumonia. Detailed analysis of the early inflammatory response in the lung by whole genome transcriptional profiling, we identified several mediators that were differentially expressed between Nlrp3-/- and Asc-/ - mice. WT, Nlrp3- and Asc-deficient mice were intranasally inocculated with Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 and ATCC6303 both at high and low dose. Lung homogenates were harvested and gene expression profiling was performed.
Project description:The immune system may respond to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) through inflammatory reactions. The NLRP3 inflammasome responds to a wide range of ENM, and its activation is associated with various inflammatory diseases. The objective of the study was to compare the effects of gold ENM of different shapes on NLRP3 inflammasome activation and related signalling pathways. Differentiated THP-1 cells (wildtype, ASC- or NLRP3-deficient), were exposed to PEGylated gold nanorods, nanostars, and nanospheres. Exposed cells were subjected to gene expression analysis. Nanorods, but not nanostars or nanospheres, showed NLRP3 inflammasome activation. ASC- or NLRP3-deficient cells did not show this effect. Gold nanorod-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation was accompanied by downregulated sterol/cholesterol biosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and purinergic receptor signalling. In conclusion, the shape and surface chemistry of gold nanoparticles determine NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Project description:This experiment was performed to analyze the contribution of NLRP3 inflammasome activation to age-related changes in hippocampal RNA. The hypothesis was that decreased inflammasome activation would reduce hippocampal inflammation. Results indicate that inflammasome knockout animals are protected from age-related changes in hippocampal gene expression Gene expression profiles of young (1 month) and old (21-23 month) wild type, CIAS -/- and ASC -/- mouse hippocampal tissue were compared. Total mRNA was extracted using Trizol.
Project description:The NLRP3 inflammasome is dysregulated in autoinflammatory disorders caused by inherited mutations and contributes to the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we discovered that disulfiram, a safe FDA-approved drug, specifically inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome, but not the NLRC4 or AIM2 inflammasomes. Disulfiram suppresses caspase-1 activation, ASC speck formation, and pyroptosis induced by several stimuli that activate NLRP3. Mechanistically, NLRP3 is palmitoylated at cysteine 126, a modification required for its localization to the trans-Golgi network and inflammasome activation which was inhibited by disulfiram. Administration of disulfiram to animals inhibited the NLRP3, but not the NLRC4 inflammasome in vivo. Our study uncovers a mechanism by which disulfiram targets NLRP3 and provides a rationale for using a safe FDA-approved drug for the treatment of NLRP3-associated inflammatory diseases.