Inflammasome: Starving Inflammation

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Inflammasome: Starving Inflammation RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Nature Reviews Immunology | AOP, published online 6 March 2015; doi:10.1038/nri3832 found that β-hydroxybutyrate INFLAMMASOME inhibited ASC oligomerization and speck formation. Both research groups also investigated the effect Starving inflammation of these inhibitors on K+ efflux, which triggers NLRP3 inflamma- Inflammasomes have an important treated with MCC950 followed by some activation. Coll et al. found no role in innate immunity, but their stimulation with the NLRP3 activator effect of MCC950 on intracellular aberrant activation is linked to chronic a low- ATP. In response to MCC950 treat- K+ levels, whereas Youm et al. found inflammatory diseases. Reporting carbohydrate ment, the levels of both IL‑1β and a that β-hydroxybutyrate prevented + in Nature Medicine, Coll et al. and ketogenic caspase 1 autocatalytic cleavage frag- K efflux in BMDMs in response to Youm et al. describe two compounds ment decreased in a dose-dependent differ­ent NLRP3 activators. — MCC950 and β-hydroxybutyrate, diet … could manner. Moreover, the authors Finally, both MCC950 and respectively — that specifically inhibit reduce the showed that MCC950 interferes with β-hydroxybutyrate were shown to have the NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR- and pyrin severity of the formation of NLRP3‑dependent inhibitory effects in mouse models of domain-containing 3) inflamma- ASC oligomers (‘specks’), which is a the human Muckle–Wells syndrome, some and have anti-inflammatory NLRP3‑ key event in inflammasome activa- which is associated with a mutation effects in mouse models of different mediated tion. However, MCC950 did not in NLRP3.Interestingly, MCC950 NLRP3‑dependent diseases. diseases prevent NLRP3 oligomerization or was also shown to have an inhibitory Activation of the NLRP3 NLRP3–ASC interactions. effect in peripheral blood mono- inflamma­some leads to activation Youm et al. searched for endog- nuclear cells from individuals with of caspase 1 and the release of enous mechanisms that could control Muckle–Wells syndrome. Youm et al. the pro-inflammatory cytokines NLRP3 deactivation. Ketone body found that feeding mice a ketogenic interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) and IL‑18. β-hydroxybutyrate is produced in the diet increased β-hydroxybutyrate NLRP3‑mediated diseases are mainly liver and functions as an alternative levels in vivo, and that mice with a treated with compounds that target energy source during fasting, low- missense Nlrp3 mutation that leads IL‑1, and Coll et al. investigated carbohydrate diets and high-intensity to familial cold autoinflammatory whether the IL‑1β processing exercise, and as these states are syndrome — which is associated inhibitor MCC950 acts by inhibiting associated with altered immune cell with neutrophilia — were protected the inflammasome. Human and function, the authors investigated from neutrophilia when fed a ketogenic mouse macrophages were primed whether β-hydroxybutyrate could diet compared with chow-fed mice. with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and act as an immune effector. Indeed, In conclusion, both MCC950 β-hydroxybutyrate inhibited both and β-hydroxybutyrate specifically ATP-induced cleavage of caspase 1 inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and the processing of the active form and could be promising treatments of IL‑1β in mouse bone marrow- for a variety of NLRP3‑mediated derived macrophages (BMDMs). inflammatory disorders. Furthermore, Additional experiments suggested that the study by Youm et al. indicates that β-hydroxybutyrate specifically acts a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet — on a central signalling pathway that is which leads to increased levels of specific to the NLRP3 inflammasome. β-hydroxybutyrate — could reduce the Prolonged fasting is associated with severity of NLRP3‑mediated diseases. increased levels of β-hydroxybutyrate Elisabeth Kugelberg and reduced oxidative stress, which ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPERS Coll, R. C. et al. could regulate inflammasome activa- A small-molecule inhibitor of the NLRP3 tion. However, the inhibitory effects inflammasome for the treatment of inflammatory of β-hydroxybutyrate on NLRP3 diseases. Nature Med. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ nm.3806 (2015) | Youm, Y.-H. et al. The ketone were not dependent on starvation-­ metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 regulated mechanisms such as the inflammasome-mediated inflammatory disease. Nature Med. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm.3804 production of reactive oxygen (2015) species and glyco­lytic inhibition. FURTHER READING Latz, E., Xiao, T. S. & Stutz, A. Instead, similar to the mechanism Activation and regulation of the inflammasomes. S. Bradbrook/NPG Nature Rev. Immunol. 13, 397–411 (2013) of action of MCC950, Youm et al. NATURE REVIEWS | IMMUNOLOGY VOLUME 15 | APRIL 2015 © 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Recommended publications
  • Inflammasome Activation-Induced Hypercoagulopathy
    cells Review Inflammasome Activation-Induced Hypercoagulopathy: Impact on Cardiovascular Dysfunction Triggered in COVID-19 Patients Lealem Gedefaw, Sami Ullah, Polly H. M. Leung , Yin Cai, Shea-Ping Yip * and Chien-Ling Huang * Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; [email protected] (L.G.); [email protected] (S.U.); [email protected] (P.H.M.L.); [email protected] (Y.C.) * Correspondence: [email protected] (S.-P.Y.); [email protected] (C.-L.H.) Abstract: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most devastating infectious disease in the 21st century with more than 2 million lives lost in less than a year. The activation of inflammasome in the host infected by SARS-CoV-2 is highly related to cytokine storm and hypercoagulopathy, which significantly contribute to the poor prognosis of COVID-19 patients. Even though many studies have shown the host defense mechanism induced by inflammasome against various viral infections, mechanistic interactions leading to downstream cellular responses and pathogenesis in COVID-19 remain unclear. The SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with numerous cardiovascular disor- ders including acute myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmias, and venous thromboembolism. The inflammatory response triggered by the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome under certain car- diovascular conditions resulted in hyperinflammation or the modulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 signaling pathways. Perturbations of several target cells and tissues have been described in inflammasome activation, including pneumocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and dendritic cells. Citation: Gedefaw, L.; Ullah, S.; Leung, P.H.M.; Cai, Y.; Yip, S.-P.; The interplay between inflammasome activation and hypercoagulopathy in COVID-19 patients is an Huang, C.-L.
    [Show full text]
  • Inflammasome Function in Neutrophils Kaiwen Chen Bachelor of Science (Honours Class I)
    Inflammasome function in neutrophils Kaiwen Chen Bachelor of Science (Honours Class I) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2015 Institute for Molecular Bioscience i ii Abstract The innate immune system protects against infection but also drives inflammatory disorders. Key molecular drivers of both processes are ‘inflammasomes’, multi-protein complexes that assemble in the cytosol to activate the protease, caspase-1. Active caspase-1 cleaves specific proinflammatory cytokines [e.g. interleukin (IL)-1β] into their mature, secreted forms, and initiates a form of inflammatory cell lysis called pyroptosis. Inflammasomes are assembled by select pattern recognition receptors such as NLRC4, NLRP3, AIM2, or via a non-canonical pathway involving caspase-11. Whilst inflammasomes functions have been intensely researched, the cell types mediating inflammasome signalling in distinct in vivo settings were unclear. Neutrophils are one of the first cells to arrive to a site of infection or injury, and thus have the opportunity to detect inflammasome-activating molecules in vivo, but their ability to signal by inflammasome pathways had not been closely examined. This thesis offers a detailed investigation of NLRC4, NLRP3 and caspase-11 inflammasome signalling in neutrophils during in vitro or in vivo challenge with whole microbe, purified microbial components, or adjuvant. This thesis demonstrates that acute Salmonella infection triggered NLRC4-dependent caspase-1 activation and IL-1β processing in neutrophils, and neutrophils were a major cellular compartment for IL-1β production during acute Salmonella challenge in vivo. Importantly, neutrophils did not undergo pyroptotic cell death upon NLRC4 activation, allowing these cells to sustain IL-1β production at a site of infection without compromising their crucial inflammasome-independent antimicrobial effector functions.
    [Show full text]
  • NLRP3-Inflammasome Inhibition During Respiratory Virus Infection
    viruses Article NLRP3-Inflammasome Inhibition during Respiratory Virus Infection Abrogates Lung Immunopathology and Long-Term Airway Disease Development Carrie-Anne Malinczak 1 , Charles F. Schuler 2,3, Angela J. Duran 1, Andrew J. Rasky 1, Mohamed M. Mire 1, Gabriel Núñez 1, Nicholas W. Lukacs 1,3 and Wendy Fonseca 1,* 1 Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; [email protected] (C.-A.M.); [email protected] (A.J.D.); [email protected] (A.J.R.); [email protected] (M.M.M.); [email protected] (G.N.); [email protected] (N.W.L.) 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; [email protected] 3 Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects most infants by two years of age. It can cause severe disease leading to an increased risk of developing asthma later in life. Previously, our group has shown that RSV infection in mice and infants promotes IL-1β production. Here, we characterized the role of NLRP3-Inflammasome activation during RSV infection in adult mice and neonates. We observed that the inhibition of NLRP3 activation using the small molecule inhibitor, MCC950, or in Citation: Malinczak, C.-A.; Schuler, genetically modified NLRP3 knockout (Nlrp3−/−) mice during in vivo RSV infection led to decreased C.F.; Duran, A.J.; Rasky, A.J.; Mire, lung immunopathology along with a reduced expression of the mucus-associated genes and reduced M.M.; Núñez, G.; Lukacs, N.W.; production of innate cytokines (IL-1β, IL-33 and CCL2) linked to severe RSV disease while leading to Fonseca, W.
    [Show full text]
  • Inflammasome Regulation: Therapeutic Potential For
    molecules Review Inflammasome Regulation: Therapeutic Potential for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Qiuyun Xu 1, Xiaorong Zhou 1 , Warren Strober 2,* and Liming Mao 1,3,* 1 Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong 226019, China; [email protected] (Q.X.); [email protected] (X.Z.) 2 Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA 3 Basic Medical Research Center, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China * Correspondence: [email protected] (W.S.); [email protected] (L.M.) Abstract: Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes formed to regulate the maturation of pro- inflammatory caspases, in response to intracellular or extracellular stimulants. Accumulating studies showed that the inflammasomes are implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), although their activation is not a decisive factor for the development of IBD. Inflammasomes and related cytokines play an important role in the maintenance of gut immune homeostasis, while its overactivation might induce excess immune responses and consequently cause tissue damage in the gut. Emerging studies provide evidence that some genetic abnormalities might induce enhanced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and cause colitis. In these cases, the colonic inflammation can be ameliorated by blocking NLRP3 activation or its downstream cytokine IL-1β. A number of natural products were shown to play a role in preventing colon inflammation in various experimental colitis models. On the other hand, lack of inflammasome function also causes intestinal abnormalities. Thus, an appropriate regulation of inflammasomes might be a promising therapeutic strategy for IBD Citation: Xu, Q.; Zhou, X.; Strober, intervention.
    [Show full text]
  • J.M. Davis and L. Ramakrishnan. 2009. the Role of the Granuloma In
    The Role of the Granuloma in Expansion and Dissemination of Early Tuberculous Infection J. Muse Davis1 and Lalita Ramakrishnan2,* 1Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA 2Departments of Microbiology, Medicine, and Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA *Correspondence: [email protected] DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2008.11.014 SUMMARY and plateaus coincident with the development of adaptive immu- nity (North and Jung, 2004; Swaim et al., 2006). Hence, accord- Granulomas, organized aggregates of immune cells, ing to the classical model, granuloma formation requires adap- form in response to persistent stimuli and are hall- tive immunity and is critical for restricting bacterial expansion marks of tuberculosis. Tuberculous granulomas (Andersen, 1997; Saunders and Cooper, 2000). have long been considered host-protective struc- Studies in transparent zebrafish embryos infected with Myco- tures formed to contain infection. However, work in bacterium marinum (Mm), a system which recapitulates the zebrafish infected with Mycobacterium marinum earliest stages of tuberculosis (Clay et al., 2008; Dannenberg, 1993; Lesley and Ramakrishnan, 2008; Stamm and Brown, suggests that granulomas contribute to early bacte- 2004; Tobin and Ramakrishnan, 2008), refute the classical model rial growth. Here we use quantitative intravital micros- of granuloma initiation as a host-protective event in fundamental copy to reveal distinct steps of granuloma formation ways. First, epithelioid granulomas are found to form within days and assess their consequence for infection. Intracel- of infection, well before adaptive immunity is present (Davis lular mycobacteria use the ESX-1/RD1 virulence locus et al., 2002). Second, granuloma formation coincides with the to induce recruitment of new macrophages to, and accelerated bacterial expansion widely thought to precede it their rapid movement within, nascent granulomas.
    [Show full text]
  • Genetic Variants of the NLRP3 Inflammasome Are Associated with Stroke in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
    Genetic Variants of the NLRP3 Inflammasome Are Associated with Stroke in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Alf Kastbom, Lisbeth Ärlestig, and Solbritt Rantapää-Dahlqvist ABSTRACT. Objective. Inflammasomes are intracellular protein complexes important for the production of pro- inflammatory cytokines. Studies have suggested that the NLRP3 inflammasome influences both the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated whether functional genetic variants related to the NLRP3 inflammasome influence the risk of cardio- vascular (CV) disease (CVD) in patients with RA. Methods. The incidence of CVD was assessed in 522 patients with established RA by a retrospective survey of medical records in combination with a 6-year prospective followup. NLRP3-Q705K and CARD8-C10X genotypes were analyzed in relation to CVD by logistic regression, adjusting for tradi- tional risk factors, antirheumatic treatment, and age at the onset of RA. Results. Carriage of the NLRP3-Q705K minor allele was associated with an increased risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA; OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.0–4.1, p = 0.05), while CARD8-C10X was not associated with any type of CV event. Patients with ≥ 1 variant allele in both polymorphisms had an increased risk of CVD when compared with patients without variant alleles present in both polymor- phisms (adjusted OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.42–6.54, p = 0.004). Stratification showed that this risk was confined to stroke/TIA (adjusted OR 5.09, 95% CI 2.27–11.44, p < 0.0001) and not to myocardial infarction (MI)/angina pectoris (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.67–3.73).
    [Show full text]
  • NLRP3 Inflammasome at the Interface of Inflammation, Endothelial
    cells Review NLRP3 Inflammasome at the Interface of Inflammation, Endothelial Dysfunction, and Type 2 Diabetes Ilona M. Gora *, Anna Ciechanowska and Piotr Ladyzynski Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland; [email protected] (A.C.); [email protected] (P.L.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), accounting for 90–95% cases of diabetes, is characterized by chronic inflammation. The mechanisms that control inflammation activation in T2DM are largely unexplored. Inflammasomes represent significant sensors mediating innate immune responses. The aim of this work is to present a review of links between the NLRP3 inflammasome, endothelial dys- function, and T2DM. The NLRP3 inflammasome activates caspase-1, which leads to the maturation of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β and interleukin 18. In this review, we characterize the structure and functions of NLRP3 inflammasome as well as the most important mechanisms and molecules engaged in its activation. We present evidence of the importance of the endothelial dysfunction as the first key step to activating the inflammasome, which suggests that suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome could be a new approach in depletion hyperglycemic toxicity and in averting the onset of vascular complications in T2DM. We also demonstrate reports showing that the expression of a few microRNAs that are also known to be involved in either NLRP3 inflammasome activation or endothelial dysfunction is deregulated in T2DM. Collectively, this evidence suggests that T2DM is an inflammatory disease stimulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, studies revealing the role of glucose concentration in the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome are analyzed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Molecular Links Between Cell Death and Inflammasome
    cells Review The Molecular Links between Cell Death and Inflammasome Kwang-Ho Lee 1,2 and Tae-Bong Kang 1,2,* 1 Department of Biotechnology, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Korea 2 Research Institute of Inflammatory Diseases, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Korea * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-43-840-3904; Fax: +82-43-852-3616 Received: 30 July 2019; Accepted: 9 September 2019; Published: 10 September 2019 Abstract: Programmed cell death pathways and inflammasome activation pathways can be genetically and functionally separated. Inflammasomes are specialized protein complexes that process pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-18 to bioactive forms for protection from a wide range of pathogens, as well as environmental and host-derived danger molecules. Programmed cell death has been extensively studied, and its role in the development, homeostasis, and control of infection and danger is widely appreciated. Apoptosis and the recently recognized necroptosis are the best-characterized forms of programmed death, and the interplay between them through death receptor signaling is also being studied. Moreover, growing evidence suggests that many of the signaling molecules known to regulate programmed cell death can also modulate inflammasome activation in a cell-intrinsic manner. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss the current knowledge concerning the role of the signaling molecules originally associated with programmed cell death in the activation of inflammasome and IL-1β processing. Keywords: inflammasome; apoptosis; necroptosis; programmed cell death; Caspase-8; RIPK1/3; MLKL; PGAM5; DRP1 1. Introduction Homeostasis is a principle property of living organisms and it is maintained at the systemic, tissue, and cellular levels through the homeostatic control system.
    [Show full text]
  • Role of the Inflammasome, IL-1Β, and IL-18 in Bacterial Infections
    Review Article TheScientificWorldJOURNAL (2011) 11, 2037–2050 ISSN 1537-744X; doi:10.1100/2011/212680 Role of the Inflammasome, IL-1β, and IL-18 in Bacterial Infections Manoranjan Sahoo, Ivonne Ceballos-Olvera, Laura del Barrio, and Fabio Re Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA Received 20 July 2011; Accepted 30 September 2011 Academic Editor: Giamila Fantuzzi The inflammasome is an important innate immune pathway that regulates at least two host responses protective against infections: (1) secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 and (2) induction of pyroptosis, a form of cell death. Inflammasomes, of which different types have been identified, are multiprotein complexes containing pattern recognition receptors belonging to the Nod-like receptor family or the PYHIN family and the protease caspase-1. The molecular aspects involved in the activation of different inflammasomes by various pathogens are being rapidly elucidated, and their role during infections is being characterized. Production of IL-1β and IL-18 and induction of pyroptosis of the infected cell have been shown to be protective against many infectious agents. Here, we review the recent literature concerning inflammasome activation in the context of bacterial infections and identify important questions to be answered in the future. KEYWORDS: Innate immunity, pattern recognition receptors, Toll-like receptors, Nod-like receptors, inflammasome, caspase-1, Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-18, inflammation, and bacterial infection Correspondence should be addressed to Fabio Re, [email protected] Copyright © 2011 Manoranjan Sahoo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
    [Show full text]
  • Snapshot: Inflammasomes Maninjay K
    272 Cell SnapShot: Infl ammasomes Maninjay K. Atianand,1 Vijay A. Rathinam,1 and Katherine A. Fitzgerald1 153 1Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA , March 28,2013 ©2013Elsevier Inc. , March DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.03.009 Basic inflammasome structure Ca+ Bacterium containing CASR type III secretion system P2X7 receptor Gram-negative Bacteria Salmonella typhimurium Signal 2 ATP Pseuodomonas aeruginosa PLC AC Potassium RECEPTOR NLR or ALR efux Signal 3 Lysosomal destabilization GBP5 PrgJ ADAPTOR ASC Inflammasome Inhibition Bacterial Flagellin complex InsP3 of cAMP mRNA TLR4 Procaspase-1 TRIF + Ca ROS Mitochondrion NLRP3 NAIPs5/6 NAIP2 EFFECTOR Active caspase-1 PKC-δ ROS Type I interferons NLRC4/IPAF pro-IL-1b IL-1b ER stress pro-IL-18 IL-18 Oxidized + mitochondrial DNA Ca P P Signal 1 H+ ASC Active H+ caspase-11 M2 channel NUCLEUS Endoplasmic Trans-golgi Procaspase-1 Procaspase-1 reticulum (ER) Cell death IL-1a & HMGB1 release Active caspase-1 Cell death IL-1a & HMGB1 Cytosolic bacteria pro-IL-1b IL-1b release Francisella tularensis pro-IL-18 IL-18 Listeria monocyotgenes PA Anthrax See online version for legend and references. and legend for version online See lethal toxin Intestinal inflammation Diacylated AIM2 and homeostasis Yersinia pestis lipopeptides ASC LF Microbes ? NLRP6 NLRP12 NLRP7 DNA viruses NLRP1b mCMV Procaspase-1 Vaccinia Herpes viruses (In human monocytes & macrophages) IFI16 ASC KSHV DNA NUCLEUS Procaspase-1 SnapShot: Inflammasomes Maninjay K. Atianand,1 Vijay A. Rathinam,1 and Katherine A. Fitzgerald1 1Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA Large multiprotein complexes referred to as inflammasomes form in the cytosol during infection or in response to endogenous danger signals released from damaged or dying cells and regulate the processing and secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 as well as an inflammatory form of cell death called pyroptosis.
    [Show full text]
  • Development of a Characterised Tool Kit for the Interrogation of NLRP3
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Development of a characterised tool kit for the interrogation of NLRP3 infammasome-dependent Received: 19 January 2018 Accepted: 21 March 2018 responses Published: xx xx xxxx Elena Redondo-Castro1, Dorte Faust2, Simon Fox2, Alex G. Baldwin 3, Simon Osborne2, Michael J. Haley 1, Eric Karran4, Hugh Nuthall5, Peter J. Atkinson6, Lee A. Dawson7, Carol Routledge8, Stuart M. Allan1, Sally Freeman3, Janet Brownlees2 & David Brough 1 Infammation is an established contributor to disease and the NLRP3 infammasome is emerging as a potential therapeutic target. A number of small molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 pathway have been described. Here we analysed the most promising of these inhibitor classes side by side to assess relative potency and selectivity for their respective putative targets. Assessed using ASC infammasome-speck formation, and release of IL-1β, in both human monocyte/macrophage THP1 cells and in primary mouse microglia, we compared the relative potency and selectivity of P2X7 inhibitors, infammasome inhibitors (diarylsulfonylurea vs. the NBC series), and caspase-1 inhibitors. In doing so we are now able to provide a well characterised small molecule tool kit for interrogating and validating infammasome- dependent responses with a range of nanomolar potency inhibitors against established points in the infammasome pathway. Infammation is a protective host response to infection, but when it occurs during non-communicable dis- ease it is ofen damaging and contributes to an acceleration of pathology and a worse outcome. An important infammatory process in disease is the activation of a multi-molecular complex called the NLRP3 infammasome (Fig. 1)1. Te NLRP3 infammasome consists of a pattern recognition receptor (PRR), which in this case is NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor (NLR) family, pyrin domain–containing protein 3 (NLRP3)), an adaptor protein called ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD)), and pro-caspase-12.
    [Show full text]
  • Cellular Models and Assays to Study NLRP3 Inflammasome Biology
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review Cellular Models and Assays to Study NLRP3 Inflammasome Biology 1 1, 1, 2 2,3 Giovanni Zito , Marco Buscetta y, Maura Cimino y, Paola Dino , Fabio Bucchieri and Chiara Cipollina 1,3,* 1 Fondazione Ri.MED, via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy; [email protected] (G.Z.); [email protected] (M.B.); [email protected] (M.C.) 2 Dipartimento di Biomedicina Sperimentale, Neuroscenze e Diagnostica Avanzata (Bi.N.D.), University of Palermo, via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy; [email protected] (P.D.); [email protected] (F.B.) 3 Istituto per la Ricerca e l’Innovazione Biomedica-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Ugo la Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +39-091-6809191; Fax: +39-091-6809122 These authors contributed equally to this work. y Received: 19 May 2020; Accepted: 12 June 2020; Published: 16 June 2020 Abstract: The NLRP3 inflammasome is a multi-protein complex that initiates innate immunity responses when exposed to a wide range of stimuli, including pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Inflammasome activation leads to the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 and to pyroptotic cell death. Over-activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases. A deep knowledge of NLRP3 inflammasome biology is required to better exploit its potential as therapeutic target and for the development of new selective drugs. To this purpose, in the past few years, several tools have been developed for the biological characterization of the multimeric inflammasome complex, the identification of the upstream signaling cascade leading to inflammasome activation, and the downstream effects triggered by NLRP3 activation.
    [Show full text]