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LncRNA plays key role in several biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, post transcriptional control and epigenetic regulation. However, research on the functional roles of lncRNAs in teleost species remains limited. Here, we discovered a lncRNA (BCO1-AS) with a critical role in antibacterial responses. Briefly, the full length of BCO1-AS was 2005 bp. Subsequently, BCO1-AS was distributed throughout the nucleus, where it may either trans- or cis-regulate the nearby genes. In addition, BCO1-AS was widely expressed in all the examined tissues with the highest expression level in intestine, while the lowest expression level was detected in muscle. Moreover, following Vibrio anguillarum challenge, BCO1-AS was significantly down-regulated in intestine, and up-regulated in gill and skin. In CHIRP experiment, BCO1-AS could effectively enrich RNA and might interact with several immune-related genes. Furthermore, we found that LPS could induce the expression of BCO1-AS. Finally, BCO1-AS could positively regulate caspase-1 at the mRNA and protein level. The BCO1-AS was speculated to inhibit the synthesis of inflammatory components. In summary, these results showed the roles of BCO1-AS in the regulation of inflammatory in turbot, which provided valuable information for further understanding the immune regulation network of lncRNA in teleost fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: The absence of melanoma 2 (AIM2) protein triggers the activation of the inflammasome cascade. It is unclear whether AIM2 plays a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses radiofrequency waves to treat tumors. In this study, we investigated if RFA could induce pyroptosis, also called cell inflammatory necrosis, in HCC through AIM2-inflammasome signaling in vivo and in vitro., Materials and Methods: BALB/c nude mice were used to generate HepG2 or SMMC-7721 cell-derived tumor xenografts. HCC cells with knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 were created using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and expression vector transfection, respectively, for functional and mechanistic studies. Downstream effects were examined using flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, ELISAs, and other molecular assays., Results: RFA significantly suppressed tumor growth in HCC cell xenografts. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that RFA could induce pyroptosis. Furthermore, AIM2, NLRP3, caspase-1, γ-H2AX, and DNA-PKc had significantly greater expression levels in liver tissues from mice treated with RFA compared with those of the controls. Additionally, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 expression levels were significantly higher in the HCC cell-derived xenograft mice treated with RFA compared with those without RFA. Notably, a significantly greater effect was achieved in the RFA complete ablation group versus the partial ablation group. Knockdown or overexpression of AIM2 in HCC cells demonstrated that AIM2 exerted a role in RFA-induced pyroptosis., Conclusions: RFA can suppress HCC tumor growth by inducing pyroptosis via AIM2. Therefore, therapeutically intervening with AIM2-mediated inflammasome signaling may help improve RFA treatment outcomes for HCC patients., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning at "Quchi" (LI11) and "Xuehai" (SP10) in prevention of urticaria., Methods: Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and preconditioning of EA (Pre-EA) groups (8 rats/group). The urticaria model was established by intradermal injection of dilute allogeneic antioalbumin serum at the spots of the bilateral symmetry of the spine on the back, and followed by tail venous injection of mixture solution of egg albumin diluent, plus 0.5% Evans blue and normal saline. Ten days before the end of modeling, rats of the pre-EA group received EA stimulation of LI11 and SP10 for 20 min, once a day for 10 consecutive days. The times of rat's scratching the sensitized skin were recorded. HE staining method was used to observe the pathological changes of skin tissue, and toluidine blue staining method was used to observe the morphology of mast cells (MCs) in the skin, blood, mesentery, and peritoneal fluid, and calculate the degranulation rate. Immunohistochemical stainning was used to detect immunoglobulin E (IgE), histamine (HIS), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) expressions in subcutaneous tissue. NOD like receptor thermal domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, apoptosis related granule protein (ASC), and cysteine aspartate aminotransferase 1 (Caspase-1) protein expression levels in skin tissue were detected by Western blot. The contents of serum interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-18 were detected using ELISA method., Results: Compared with the control group, the scratching times, amount of Evans blue exudation of the sensitized blue spots, degranulation rate of MCs in skin, blood, mesentery and peritoneal fluid, the expression levels of IgE, HIS, 5-HT in subcutaneous tissue, protein expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 in skin tissue, and the contents of serum IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly increased ( P <0.01, P <0.05) in the model group. In comparison with the model group, the scratching times, amount of Evans blue exudation of the sensitized blue spots, degranulation rate of MCs, the expression levels of IgE, HIS, 5-HT in subcutaneous tissue, protein expression levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 in skin tissue, and the contents of serum IL-1β and IL-18 in EA group were significantly decreased ( P <0.01, P <0.05)., Conclusions: EA preconditioning at LI11 and SP10 can prevent and treat UR by inhibiting inflammatory response, which is related to the regulation of pyroptosis.

Myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) caused by the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the primary cause of severe ventricular remodelling, heart failure (HF), and high mortality. In recent studies, research on the role of necroptosis in MIRI has focused on cardiomyocytes, but new biomarkers and immunocyte mechanisms of necroptosis are rarely studied. In the present study, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) algorithms were used to establish a weighted gene co-expression network, and Casp1, Hpse, Myd88, Ripk1, and Tpm3 were identified as biological markers of necroptosis using least absolute shrinkage, selection operator (LASSO) regression and support vector machine (SVM) feature selection algorithms. The role and discriminatory power of these five genes in MIRI had never been studied. Single-cell and cell-talk analyses showed that hub genes of necroptosis were focused on macrophages, which mediate the functions of monocytes, fibroblasts, haematopoietic stem cells, and cardiomyocytes, primarily through the TNF/TNFRSF1A interaction. The polarisation and functional activation of macrophages were affected by the MIF signalling network (MIF CD74/CXCR4 and MIF CD74/CD44) of other cells. The results of the immune infiltration assay showed that the five genes involved in necroptosis were significantly related to the infiltration and functional activity of M2 macrophages. TWS-119 is predicted to be a molecular drug that targets key MIRI genes. A mouse model was established to confirm the expression of five hub genes, and ventricular remodelling increased with time after ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Therefore, Casp1, Hpse, Myd88, Ripk1, and Tpm3 may be key genes regulating necroptosis and polarisation in macrophages, and causing ventricular remodelling., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a primary contributor to low back pain and poses a considerable burden to society. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IVDD remain to be elucidated. PR/SET domain 1 (PRDM1) regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses in various diseases. Despite these regulatory functions, the mechanism of action of PRDM1 in IVDD remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the role and underlying mechanisms of action of PRDM1 in IVDD progression. The expression of PRDM1 in nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues and NP cells (NPCs) was assessed using western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The effects of PRDM1 on IVDD progression were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, mRNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm that PRDM1 triggered CASP1 transcription. Our study demonstrated for the first time that PRDM1 expression was substantially upregulated in degenerated NP tissues and NPCs. PRDM1 overexpression promoted NPCs pyroptosis by inhibiting mitophagy and exacerbating IVDD progression, whereas PRDM1 silencing exerted the opposite effect. Furthermore, PRDM1 activated CASP1 transcription, thereby promoting NPCs pyroptosis in vitro. Notably, CASP1 silencing reversed the effects of PRDM1 on the NPCs. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that PRDM1 silencing inhibits NPCs pyroptosis by repressing CASP1 transcription, which may be a promising new therapeutic target for IVDD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study is to investigate the inflammasome dysregulation in peripheral blood leukocytes of VEXAS patients. The constitutive and in vitro triggered activation of inflammasome in PBMC and neutrophils was analyzed in two Brazilian patients with typical UBA1 mutations, and compared with healthy donors. Our findings highlight the constitutive activation of caspase-1 in VEXAS leukocytes, accompanied by increased plasma levels of IL-18. Furthermore, upon stimulation of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils, we observed not only the exhaustion of NLRP3 and NLRP1/CARD8 pathways in VEXAS PBMC but also a significant increase in NLRP3-mediated NETs release in VEXAS neutrophils. These findings support previous studies on the contribution of the inflammasome to VEXAS pathogenesis, identifying at least two profoundly affected pathways (NLRP3 and NLRP1/CARD8) in VEXAS peripheral blood., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

To research the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in Schistosoma japonicum -induced granuloma formation and liver fibrosis. In in vivo tests, BALB/c mice were used. shNLRP3 plasmid based on adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8-shNLRP3) was injected to block NLRP3 inflammasome via tail vein. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected to assess liver injury. H&E staining was used for routine histopathological assessment; Masson's trichrome staining was used to detect fibrous tissues and collagen fibers. Hepatic expression of NLRP3, procaspase-1, bioactive caspase-1, collagen-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by western blot. Serum levels of IL-1β were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The inflammatory cell infiltration and hepatic expression of IL-1β around the granuloma were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. Treatment of S. japonicum infected mice with AAV8-shNLRP3 significantly reduced the hepatic levels of bioactive caspase-1 and IL-1β, as well as circulating IL-1β concentrations, while reducing the amounts of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and F4/80 positive cells around the granuloma. Moreover, collagen deposition, TIMP-1, and α-SMA, which are markers of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, were reduced around the liver granuloma. These findings highlight a therapeutic potential of AAV8-shNLRP3 in schistosomiasis cirrhosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

NLRP3 has an important role in the immune response and viral infection as an essential inflammasome component. However, it is unclear whether the grouper immune system is regulated by NLRP3 inflammasome. In this study, we cloned the NLRP3 gene from Epinephelus coioides. Ec-NLRP3 encodes 893 amino acids and contains two major structural domains, the NACHT domain (69-234aa) and the LRR domain (477-893aa). Tissue distribution analysis showed that Ec-NLRP3 was expressed in all tissues tested, with the spleen exhibiting the highest expression. Additionally, after being infected with SGIV, the expression of the Ec-NLRP3 gene was significantly increased. The results of subcellular localization revealed that Ec-NLRP3 was distributed throughout GS cells. In addition, Ec-NLRP3 co-localized with Ec-ASC and was observed as a cytosolic speck. Ec-NLRP3 overexpression significantly inhibited SGIV infection, which was further inhibited by co-overexpression of Ec-NLRP3 and Ec-ASC. Further studies revealed that overexpression of Ec-NLRP3 significantly upregulated caspase-1 activity, and co-overexpression of Ec-NLRP3 and Ec-ASC further upregulated caspase-1 activity. In addition, inhibition of Caspase-1 activity with VX-765 significantly increased the infection of SGIV. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome activator Nigericin was able to inhibit the infection of SGIV significantly. The above findings suggest that Ec-NLRP3 inhibits SGIV infection by upregulating caspase-1 activity., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective To explore the role and potential mechanism of caspase activation and recruitment domain-containing nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 (NLRC3) in the immune inflammatory response induced by macrophage pyroptosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Fifty RA patients and ten healthy volunteers were selected according to inclusion criteria. Peripheral blood macrophages were extracted and divided into six groups: normal control(NC), RA macrophage model (RA-MC), RA-MC with NLRC3 overexpression, RA-MC with NLRC3 knockdown, RA-MC with STING overexpression, and RA-MC with STING knockdown groups. Macrophage pyroptosis was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The mRNA expressions of NLRC3, STING, caspase-1, and GSDMD were detected using RT-qPCR. interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 levels in cell supernatants were measured using ELISA. Results Compared to the NC group, the RA-MC group showed characteristics of pyroptosis. Compared to the RA-MC group, the groups of RA-MC with NLRC3 overexpression and RA-MC with STING knockdown showed improved pyroptosis, while the groups of RA-MC with NLRC3 knockdown and RA-MC with STING overexpression demonstrated exacerbated pyroptosis. Compared to the NC group, the RA-MC group showed increased mRNA expression levels of STING, caspase-1 and GSDMD, as well as increased levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, but decreased NLRC3 mRNA expression level. Compared to the RA-MC group, the groups of RA-MC with NLRC3 overexpression and RA-MC with STING knockdown showed reduced mRNA expression levels of caspase-1 and GSDMD, as well as reduced inflammatory factors, while the groups of RA-MC with NLRC3 knockdown and RA-MC with STING overexpression had opposite results. Compared to the RA-MC group, the group of RA-MC with NLRC3 overexpression showed a decreased STING mRNA expression level, while the group of RA-MC with NLRC3 knockdown demonstrated an increased level. Conclusion NLRC3 can inhibit the STING signaling pathway, reduce pyroptosis proteins caspase-1 and GSDMD, antagonize macrophage pyroptosis, and lower the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, thereby alleviating the immune inflammatory response in RA patients.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) can cause multiple organ dysfunction and a high mortality rate. Inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and immune damage contribute to their pathogenic mechanisms. We studied the role of the newly discovered lncRNA, Lncmir155hg, in ALI., Methods: The levels of Lncmir155hg and miR-450b-5p from mice with ALI were detected via polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) and Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Pathological changes of lung were detected by HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining, and HIF-1α, NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 protein changes were detected by immunohistochemistry. MLE-12 cells proliferation was detected by Cell-Counting Kit 8 analysis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected via flow cytometry. NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), and caspase-1 were measured via western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays detected the expression of Inflammatory factors. Lncmir155hg, miR-450b-5p, miR-450b-5p, and HIF-1α targets were predicted using LncTar and miRWalk and confirmed in dual-luciferase reporter assays., Results: In mice with ALI and MLE-12 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Lncmir155hg was high-expressed and miR-450b-5p was low-expressed. sh-Lncmir155hg reduced the damage of lung tissue, the production of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress reaction induced by LPS，miR-450b-5p reverses the effect of Lncmir155hg in mice. sh-Lncmir155hg decreased the protein levels of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1 in LPS-induced lung tissues. sh-Lncmir155hg + miR-450b-5p inhibitor transfection reversed the effect of sh-Lncmir155hg on the expression of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1. Lncmir155hg knockdown induced proliferation and inhibited NLRP3-inflammasome activation and oxidative stress in MLE-12 cells of ALI. miR-450b-5p was identified to have binding with Lncmir155hg, and inhibition of miR-450b-5p eliminated the effect of si-Lncmir155hg in MLE-12 cells of ALI. More importantly, miR-450b-5p was directly combined with HIF-1α, miR-450b-5p mimic promoted proliferation and inhibited activation of inflammasome associated proteins and reaction of oxidative stress, and HIF-1α overexpression abolished these effects., Conclusion: Lncmir155hg aggravated ALI via the miR-450b-5p/HIF-1α axis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest extant urodela species and has unique evolutionary position. Studying the immune system of Chinese giant salamander contributes to understanding the evolution of immune systems of vertebrates. The NLR-related protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome comprised of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 play important roles in the host innate immunity. However, little is know about the NLRP3 inflammasome components in Chinese giant salamander. In this study, the NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and caspase-1 (adaNLRP3, adaASC and adaCaspase-1) were characterized from Chinese giant salamander. The proteins of these three genes shared similar motifs and structures with their mammalian counterparts, with a PYD motif, a nucleotide-binding domain (NACHT) motif, and four leucine-rich repeat domain (LRR) motifs identified in adaNLRP3, a pyrin domain (PYD) motif and a caspase recruitment domain (CARD) motif in adaASC, and a CARD motif and a CASc motif in adaCaspase-1. These three genes were constitutively expressed in the skin, heart, lung, kidney, muscle, brain, spleen, and liver of Chinese giant salamander. Following Aeromonas hydrophia infection, all the three genes were up-regulated in various tissues. Molecular docking analysis revealed that the key residues involved in forming the adaNLRP3/adaASC complex were located in the PYD motifs, and that involved in forming the adaASC/adaCaspase-1 complex were located in the CARD motifs. Further analysis revealed that the hydrogen bonds and salt bridges had crucial roles in the formation of adaNLRP3/acaASC and adaASC/adaCaspase-1 complexes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the NLRP3 inflammasome components in Chinese giant salamander which will be helpful in further understanding the function of the NLRP3 inflammasome and in elucidating its role in the immune response to microbes., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study explores how heme oxygenase-1 affects allergic airway inflammation, specifically focusing on airway epithelium pyroptosis. Findings suggest heme oxygenase-1 binds gasdermin D C-terminal to limit release of N-terminal, which affects NLRP3-caspase 1-gasdermin D trimer formation. This enhances comprehension of anti-inflammatory activity of heme oxygenase-1 in allergic disorders., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessively inherited autoinflammatory disorder with wide phenotypic variation that has been observed among individuals who have the same genotype. Modifying genes, epigenetic factors, or environmental factors might all have an impact on genotype-phenotype correlation in FMF. The current research aims to determine the expression levels of microRNAs (miR-148b and miR-17) in Egyptian FMF participants. We also aimed to investigate Caspase -1 gene expression to make a correlation with disease severity. The study comprised 25 clinically diagnosed FMF cases and 25 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. The molecular diagnosis of FMF cases was assessed using real-time SNP genotyping assay. MiR-148b and miR-17 expression were profiled using TaqMan assay technology. The expression level of Caspase -1 gene was also verified using qRT-PCR. MiR-17 in the studied cases was significantly upregulated compared to healthy individuals (P = 0.006), whereas miR-148b was significantly downregulated in the examined patients (P = 0.030). Moreover, statistically significant upregulation of Caspase-1 expression was also elucidated in relation to normal subjects (P = 0.033). The results obtained indicated that miR-17 and miR-148b might be potential regulatory biomarkers in FMF cases. We further hypothesized that the upregulation of Caspase-1 could hint at its significance as a future therapeutic target to alleviate the inflammatory process in these patients. Key Points • The role of miRNAs in FMF and various mechanisms involved in FMF pathogenesis has received increasing attention. • Studying the expression profiles of miR-17 and miR-148b in FMF patients revealed their potential role as regulatory biomarkers in these patients. • Significant upregulation of Caspase-1 expression in FMF cases could hint at its significance as a future therapeutic target. • Future studies on larger cohorts are warranted to clarify and better understand the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis and severity of FMF., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Infection with Glaesserella parasuis, the primary pathogen behind Glässer's disease, is often associated with diverse clinical symptoms, including serofibrinous polyserositis, arthritis, and meningitis. Autophagy plays a dual role in bacterial infections, exerting either antagonistic or synergistic effects depending on the nature of the pathogen. Our previous studies have demonstrated that autophagy serves as a defense mechanism, combating inflammation and invasion caused by infection of highly virulent G. parasuis. However, the precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Pathogens exhibit distinct interactions with inflammasomes and autophagy processes. Herein, we explored the effect of autophagy on inflammasomes during G. parasuis infection. We found that G. parasuis infection triggers NLRP3-dependent pro-CASP-1-IL-18/IL-1β processing and maturation pathway, resulting in increased release of IL-1β and IL-18. Inhibition of autophagy enhances NLRP3 inflammasome activity, whereas stimulation of autophagy restricts it during G. parasuis infection. Furthermore, assembled NLRP3 inflammasomes undergo ubiquitination and recruit the autophagic adaptor, p62, facilitating their sequestration into autophagosomes during G. parasuis infection. These results suggest that the induction of autophagy mitigates inflammation by eliminating overactive NLRP3 inflammasomes during G. parasuis infection. Our research uncovers a mechanism whereby G. parasuis infection initiates inflammatory responses by promoting the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasomes and activating NLRP3-CASP-1, both of which processes are downregulated by autophagy. This suggests that pharmacological manipulation of autophagy could be a promising approach to modulate G. parasuis-induced inflammatory responses., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

NLRP6 plays a crucial role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis by regulating the interaction between the intestinal mucosa and the microbiota. However, the impact of NLRP6 deficiency on intestinal damage following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains poorly understood. In this study, we established a syngeneic HSCT mouse model using C57BL/6 mice as donors and NLRP6-/- or C57BL/6 mice as recipients. Our findings revealed that NLRP6 deficiency had minimal influence on peripheral blood cell counts and splenic immune cell proportions in transplanted mice. However, it exacerbated pathological changes in the small intestine on day 14 post-transplantation, accompanied by increased proportions of macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils. Furthermore, the NLRP6 deficiency resulted in elevated expression of MPO and CD11b, while reducing the levels mature caspase-1 and mature IL-1β in the intestine. Moreover, the NLRP6 deficiency disturbed the expression of apoptosis-related molecules and decreased the tight junction protein occludin. Notably, recipient mice with NLRP6 deficiency exhibited lower mRNA expression levels of antimicrobial genes, such as Reg3γ and Pla2g2a. The short-term increase in inflammatory cell infiltration caused by NLRP6 deficiency was associated with intestinal damage, increased apoptosis, reduced expression of antimicrobial peptides, and impaired intestinal repair. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the loss of NLRP6 exacerbates post-transplantation intestinal damage in recipient mice., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Inguinal hernia is a relatively common condition. Most patients with inguinal hernia require surgery. At present, mesh repair is one of the most effective methods to treat inguinal hernia, but insertion of the mesh can cause inflammation. Dexamethasone (DEX) can treat inflammation, but the mechanism by which DEX alleviates inflammation caused by inguinal hernia mesh placement remains unclear., Method: We randomly divided rats into groups: negative control (NC), inguinal hernia (IH), polypropylene mesh (PM), DEX treatment, and miR-155 treatment groups. RT-qPCR was performed to determine the expression of miR-155. ELISA was implemented to determine the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18. Western blotting was used to detect caspase-1, JAK1, p-JAK1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 expression. A dual-luciferase reporter gene array identified a connection between miR-155 and JAK1., Results: The results revealed that the expression of miR-155, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 was upregulated in the PM group. After DEX treatment, the secretion of miR-155, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 decreased. Dual luciferase results confirmed that miR-155 induced the targeted downregulation of JAK1, while a miR-155 mimic reversed the therapeutic effect of DEX, and the expression levels of p-JAK1 and p-STAT3 increased., Conclusion: DEX regulates the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway through miR-155 to relieve inflammation caused by inguinal hernia meshes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To explore the mechanism by which Tongqiao Yizhi granule (, TQYZKL) intervenes pyroptosis to treat vascular dementia (VaD) in a rat model., Methods: The rat model of VaD was established by two-vessel occlusion (2VO). The rats were randomly divided into Sham group, Model group, Nimodipine group, TQYZKL (6.2 g?kg -1 ?d -1 ), TQYZKL (12.4 g?kg -1 ?d -1 ), TQYZKL (24.8 g?kg -1 ?d -1 ). The Morris water maze (MWM) test was carried out to test the learning and memory function; Hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to observe the pathological damage in the hippocampus; Tunel fluorescence staining to detect neuronal pyroptosis in the hippocampus. The expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, namely Golgi peripheral membrane protein p65 (P65), nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptors 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1 and Gasdermin D (GSDMD), were detected using Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, the serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were determined through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: The study revealed that TQYZKL effectively improved the ability of VaD ratsto learn and memorize, relieved the pathological damage in the hippocampus, restored neuronal morphology, and reduced the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins P65, NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-18 and IL-1β ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: TQYZKL inhibits neuronal pyroptosis in the hippocampus of VaD rats by regulating nuclear factor kappa-B/NLRP3/caspase-1 signaling pathway, thus exerting a therapeutic effect on VaD in the rats.

This study aimed to determine the function of LINC00511 in Nod-Like Receptor Pyrin Domain 3 inflammasome-mediated chondrocyte pyroptosis via the regulation of miR-9-5p and FUT 1. Chondrocyte inflammatory injury was induced by treating chondrocytes with LPS. Afterwards, the levels of IL-1β and IL-18, the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, and GSDMD, cell viability, and LDH activity in chondrocytes were assessed. LINC00511 expression in LPS-treated chondrocytes was detected, and LINC00511 was subsequently silenced to analyse its role in chondrocyte pyroptosis. The subcellular localization of LINC00511 was predicted and verified. Furthermore, the binding relationships between LINC00511 and miR-9-5p and between miR-9-5p and FUT1 were validated. LINC00511 regulated NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated chondrocyte pyroptosis through the miR-9-5p/FUT1 axis. LPS-treated ATDC5 cells exhibited elevated levels of inflammatory injury; increased levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, and GSDMD; reduced cell viability; increased LDH activity; and increased LINC00511 expression, while LINC00511 silencing inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome to restrict LPS-induced chondrocyte pyroptosis. Next, LINC00511 sponged miR-9-5p, which targeted FUT1. Silencing LINC00511 suppressed FUT1 by upregulating miR-9-5p. Additionally, downregulation of miR-9-5p or overexpression of FUT1 neutralized the suppressive effect of LINC00511 knockdown on LPS-induced chondrocyte pyroptosis. Silencing LINC00511 inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome to quench Caspase-1-dependent chondrocyte pyroptosis in OA by promoting miR-9-5p and downregulating FUT1.

Inflammation through activation of caspase-1, seems to play a role in pulmonary hypertension induced by alveolar hypoxia. Whether alveolar hypoxia induces caspase-1-mediated inflammation and influx of leukocytes in other organs than the lungs, is not known. Our aim was to explore sites of caspase-1-related inflammation in alveolar hypoxia. Wild type (WT) mice were exposed to environmental hypoxia or room-air, and organs were analyzed. Right heart catheterization was performed after 14 days of alveolar hypoxia in WT mice and mice transplanted with WT or caspase-1 -/- bone marrow. Hypoxia induced leukocyte accumulation and increased caspase-1 protein in the lungs, not in other organs. WT mice transplanted with WT or caspase-1 -/- bone marrow showed no difference in pulmonary leukocyte accumulation or development of pulmonary hypertension after alveolar hypoxia. Caspase-1 and IL-18 were detected in bronchial epithelium in WT mice, and hypoxia induced IL-18 secretion from bronchial epithelial cells. IL-18 stimulation generated IL-6 mRNA in monocytes. Phosphorylated STAT3 was increased in hypoxic lungs, not in other organs. Alveolar hypoxia induces caspase-1 activation and leukocyte accumulation specific to the lungs, not in other organs. Caspase-1 activation and IL-18 secretion from bronchial epithelial cells might initiate hypoxia-induced inflammation, leading to pulmonary hypertension., (© 2024 The Author(s). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

The abuse of methamphetamine is a significant threat to cardiovascular health and has detrimental effects on the myocardium. The present study aims to explore potential interventions that can mitigate myocardial pyroptosis in rats following methamphetamine withdrawal. A total of 104 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to eight groups. The rats underwent a methamphetamine administration protocol, receiving intraperitoneal injections of 10 mg/kg during the 1st week, followed by a weekly dose escalation of 1 mg/kg from the second to the 6th week and two times per day. Concurrently, the rats engaged in 6 weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill aerobic training, lasting 60 min per day, 5 days a week. Simultaneously, the Nutrition bio-shield Superfood (NBS) supplement was administered at a dosage of 25 g/kg daily for 6 weeks. The study assessed the expression levels of Caspase-1, Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and Interleukin-18 (IL-18) genes in myocardial tissue. Data analysis utilized a one-way analysis of variance (p ≤ 0.05). The findings revealed that methamphetamine usage significantly elevated the expression of Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 genes (p ≤ 0.05). Conversely, methamphetamine withdrawal led to a notable reduction in the expression of these genes (p ≤ 0.05). Noteworthy reductions in Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 expression were observed following aerobic training, supplementation, and the combined approach (p ≤ 0.05). The chronic use of methamphetamine was associated with cardiac tissue damage. This study highlights the potential of aerobic training and NBS Superfood supplementation in mitigating the harmful effects of methamphetamine-induced myocardial pyroptosis. The observed reductions in gene expression levels indicate promising interventions to address the cardiovascular consequences of methamphetamine abuse. The findings of this study suggest that a combination of aerobic exercise and NBS Superfood supplementation can provide a promising approach to mitigate the deleterious effects of methamphetamine on the heart. These findings can be useful for healthcare professionals and policymakers to design effective interventions to prevent and manage the adverse effects of methamphetamine abuse., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz, a traditional Chinese medicine, contains atractylenolide I (ATR-I), which has potential anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulating properties. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of ATR-I for indomethacin (IND)-induced gastric mucosal lesions and its underlying mechanisms. Noticeable improvements were observed in the histological morphology and ultrastructures of the rat gastric mucosa after ATR-I treatment. There was improved blood flow, a significant decrease in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and IL-18, and a marked increase in prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) expression in ATR-I-treated rats. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the mRNA and protein expression levels of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in rats treated with ATR-I. The results show that ATR-I inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway and effectively alleviates local inflammation, thereby improving the therapeutic outcomes against IND-induced gastric ulcers in rats.

Fucoidan has shown better effects on the improvement of acute ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the specific mechanisms by which fucoidan improves UC-related behavioral disorders in aged mice, especially its effect on the gut-brain axis, remain to be further explored. C57BL/6 male mice aged 8 months were gavaged with 400 or 100 mg/kg bw day fucoidan for five consecutive weeks, with UC being induced by ad libitum to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) solution in the fifth week. The results showed that fucoidan ameliorated UC and accompanying anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors with downregulated expressions of (NOD)-like receptor family and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), cysteine aspartate-specific protease-1 (Caspase-1) and interlekin-1β (IL-1β), and elevated mRNA levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( Bdnf ) and postsynaptic-density protein 95 ( Psd-95 ) in cortex and hippocampus. Furthermore, fucoidan improved the permeability of intestinal barrier and blood-brain barrier and restored the abnormal structure of the gut microbiota with a significantly decreased ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota (F/B) and obviously increased abundance of Akkermansia . As a diet-derived bioactive ingredient, fucoidan might be a better alternative for the prevention of UC and accompanying anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors.

Excessive intake of fat and fructose in Western diets has been confirmed to induce renal lipotoxicity, thereby driving the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of magnoflorine in a CKD mouse model subjected to high-fat and high-fructose diets. Our results demonstrated that magnoflorine treatment ameliorated abnormal renal function indices (serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, uric acid, and urine protein) in high-fat- and high-fructose-fed mice. Histologically, renal tubular cell steatosis, lipid deposition, tubular dilatation, and glomerular fibrosis were significantly reduced by the magnoflorine treatment in these mice. Mechanistically, magnoflorine promotes Parkin/PINK1-mediated mitophagy, thereby inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis. Consistent findings were observed in the palmitic acid-incubated HK-2 cell model. Notably, both silencing of Parkin and the use of a mitophagy inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of magnoflorine on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in vitro. Therefore, the present study provides compelling evidence that magnoflorine improves renal injury in high-fat- and high-fructose-fed mice by promoting Parkin/PINK1-dependent mitophagy to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis. Our findings suggest that dietary supplementation with magnoflorine and magnoflorine-rich foods (such as magnolia) might be an effective strategy for the prevention of CKD.

Constitutively active KRAS mutations are among the major drivers of lung cancer, yet the identity of molecular co-operators of oncogenic KRAS in the lung remains ill-defined. The innate immune cytosolic DNA sensor and pattern recognition receptor (PRR) Absent-in-melanoma 2 (AIM2) is best known for its assembly of multiprotein inflammasome complexes and promoting an inflammatory response. Here, we define a role for AIM2, independent of inflammasomes, in KRAS-addicted lung adenocarcinoma (LAC). In genetically defined and experimentally induced (nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone; NNK) LAC mouse models harboring the Kras G12D driver mutation, AIM2 was highly upregulated compared with other cytosolic DNA sensors and inflammasome-associated PRRs. Genetic ablation of AIM2 in Kras G12D and NNK-induced LAC mouse models significantly reduced tumor growth, coincident with reduced cellular proliferation in the lung. Bone marrow chimeras suggest a requirement for AIM2 in Kras G12D -driven LAC in both hematopoietic (immune) and non-hematopoietic (epithelial) cellular compartments, which is supported by upregulated AIM2 expression in immune and epithelial cells of mutant KRAS lung tissues. Notably, protection against LAC in AIM2-deficient mice is associated with unaltered protein levels of mature Caspase-1 and IL-1β inflammasome effectors. Moreover, genetic ablation of the key inflammasome adapter, ASC, did not suppress Kras G12D -driven LAC. In support of these in vivo findings, AIM2, but not mature Caspase-1, was upregulated in human LAC patient tumor biopsies. Collectively, our findings reveal that endogenous AIM2 plays a tumor-promoting role, independent of inflammasomes, in mutant KRAS-addicted LAC, and suggest innate immune DNA sensing may provide an avenue to explore new therapeutic strategies in lung cancer., (© 2024 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.)

Objective: Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM) is a life-threatening complication. Phospholipase D2 (PLD2) is crucial in mediating inflammatory reactions and is associated with the prognosis of patients with sepsis. Whether PLD2 is involved in the pathophysiology of SICM remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PLD2 knockout on SICM and to explore potential mechanisms., Methods: The SICM model was established using cecal ligation and puncture in wild-type and PLD2-knockout mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Transfection with PLD2-shRNA lentivirus and a PLD2 overexpression plasmid were used to interfere with PLD2 expression in H9C2 cells. Cardiac pathological alterations, cardiac function, markers of myocardial injury, and inflammatory factors were used to evaluate the SICM model. The expression of pyroptosis-related proteins (NLRP3, cleaved caspase 1, and GSDMD-N) was assessed using western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry., Results: SICM mice had myocardial tissue damage, increased inflammatory response, and impaired heart function, accompanied by elevated PLD2 expression. PLD2 deletion improved cardiac histological changes, mitigated cTNI production, and enhanced the survival of the SICM mice. Compared with controls, PLD2-knockdown H9C2 exhibits a decrease in inflammatory markers and lactate dehydrogenase production, and scanning electron microscopy results suggest that pyroptosis may be involved. The overexpression of PLD2 increased the expression of NLRP3 in cardiomyocytes. In addition, PLD2 deletion decreased the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins in SICM mice and LPS-induced H9C2 cells., Conclusion: PLD2 deletion is involved in SICM pathogenesis and is associated with the inhibition of the myocardial inflammatory response and pyroptosis through the NLRP3/caspase 1/GSDMD pathway., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a type of autoimmune disease that impacts the kidneys. Exosomes are valuable for in-depth studies of the pathogenesis of LN. This study aimed to explore miR-181d-5p expression levels in M0 macrophage-derived exosomes and their role in human renal mesangial cells (HRMC) pyroptosis through binding to BCL-2., Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and healthy subjects. Monocytes isolated from these samples were induced into M0 macrophages using recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF). In a parallel process, THP-1 cells were induced into M0 macrophages using Phorbol Myristate Acetate (PMA). LPS- and ATP-stimulated HRMC were used to construct a cell pyroptosis model. We then introduced different miR-181d-5p mimic fragments into the M0 macrophages derived from the THP-1 cells. Subsequently, exosomes from these macrophages were co-cultured with HRMC. To evaluate the impact on HRMC, we conducted proliferation and apoptosis assessments using CellCountingKit-8assay and flow cytometry. The effect of exosomal miR-181d-5p on HRMC pyroptosis was assessed using western blot. The miR-181d-5p and BCL-2 targeting relationship was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels in cell supernatants were detected using ELISA kits., Results: In this study, we observed an increase in miR-181d-5p levels within exosomes secreted from M0 macrophages obtained by induction of monocytes from LN patients. It was found that miR-181d-5p can target binding to BCL-2. Exosomes with elevated levels of miR-181d-5p contributed to a significant increase in miR-181d-5p within HRMC, facilitating its proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Furthermore, exosomes expressing high levels of miR-181d-5p were observed to promote an inflammatory response and pyroptosis in HRMC. Notably, these effects were reversed when the levels of miR-181d-5p in the exosomes were reduced., Conclusion: Inhibition of miR-181d-5p, derived from M0 macrophage exosomes, effectively suppresses inflammation and pyroptosis in HRMC. This discovery indicates that miR-181d-5p holds the potential as a valuable target in the development of treatments for Lupus Nephritis (LN)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common cancers. Chemotherapy remains one dominant therapeutic strategy, while a substantial proportion of patients may develop chemotherapeutic resistance; therefore, it is particularly significant to identify the patients who could achieve maximum benefits from chemotherapy. Presently, four pyroptosis genes are reported to correlate with the chemotherapeutic response or prognosis of HNSCC, while no study has assessed the combinatorial predicting efficacy of these four genes. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the predictive value of a multi-gene pyroptosis model regarding the prognosis and chemotherapeutic responsiveness in HNSCC., Methods: By utilizing RNA-sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and the Gene Expression Omnibus database, the pyroptosis-related gene score (PRGscore) was computed for each HNSCC sample by performing a Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) based on four genes (Caspase-1, Caspase-3, Gasdermin D, Gasdermin E). The prognostic significance of the PRGscore was assessed through Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Additionally, chemotherapy sensitivity stratified by high and low PRGscore was examined to determine the potential association between pyroptosis activity and chemosensitivity. Furthermore, chemotherapy sensitivity assays were conducted in HNSCC cell lines in vitro ., Results: As a result, our study successfully formulated a PRGscore reflective of pyroptotic activity in HNSCC. Higher PRGscore correlates with worse prognosis. However, patients with higher PRGscore were remarkably more responsive to chemotherapy. In agreement, chemotherapy sensitivity tests on HNSCC cell lines indicated a positive association between overall pyroptosis levels and chemosensitivity to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil; in addition, patients with higher PRGscore may benefit from the immunotherapy. Overall, our study suggests that HNSCC patients with higher PRGscore, though may have a less favorable prognosis, chemotherapy and immunotherapy may exhibit better benefits in this population., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Yuan et al.)

In this study, we aimed to investigate the involvement of PANoptosis, a form of regulated cell death, in the development of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH). The underlying pathogenesis of PANoptosis in SONFH remains unclear. To address this, we employed bioinformatics approaches to analyze the key genes associated with PANoptosis. Our analysis was based on the GSE123568 dataset, allowing us to investigate both the expression profiles of PANoptosis-related genes (PRGs) and the immune profiles in SONFHallowing us to investigate the expression profiles of PRGs as well as the immune profiles in SONFH. We conducted cluster classification based on PRGs and assessed immune cell infiltration. Additionally, we used the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) algorithm to identify cluster-specific hub genes. Furthermore, we developed an optimal machine learning model to identify the key predictive genes responsible for SONFH progression. We also constructed a nomogram model with high predictive accuracy for assessing risk factors in SONFH patients, and validated the model using external data (area under the curve; AUC = 1.000). Furthermore, we identified potential drug targets for SONFH through the Coremine medical database. Using the optimal machine learning model, we found that 2 PRGs, CASP1 and MLKL, were significantly correlated with the key predictive genes and exhibited higher expression levels in SONFH. Our analysis revealed the existence of 2 distinct PANoptosis molecular subtypes (C1 and C2) within SONFH. Importantly, we observed significant variations in the distribution of immune cells across these subtypes, with C2 displaying higher levels of immune cell infiltration. Gene set variation analysis indicated that C2 was closely associated with multiple immune responses. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the intricate relationship between PANoptosis and SONFH. We successfully developed a risk predictive model for SONFH patients and different SONFH subtypes. These findings enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of SONFH and offer potential insights into therapeutic strategies., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to the development of inflammatory diseases. Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is an autoinflammatory disease caused by NLRP3 gene mutations that results in excessive IL-1β production. We previously identified isoliquiritigenin (ILG), a component of Glycyrrhiza uralensis extracts, as a potent inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Here, we aimed to investigate whether ILG inhibits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome caused by NLRP3 gene mutations. We demonstrated that ILG significantly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and IL-1β production in two CAPS model THP-1 cell lines, NLRP3-D303N and NLRP3-L353P, in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 inhibited LDH release and IL-1β production in NLRP3-D303N cells, but not in NLRP3-L353P cells. Western blotting and caspase-1 activity assays showed that ILG, as well as caspase inhibitors, including Z-VAD and YVAD, suppressed caspase-1 activation. Notably, ILG prevented cryo-sensitive foci formation of NLRP3 without affecting the levels of intracellular Ca 2+ . We concluded that ILG effectively prevents the constitutive activation of the inflammasome associated with NLRP3 gene mutations by inhibiting the aggregation of cryo-sensitive mutated NLRP3., (© 2024 Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1) has been postulated to play a crucial role in the regulation of barrier functions of the vascular endothelium, yet how this novel molecule mediates dysfunction in endothelial cells (ECs) during acute lung injury (ALI) remains largely unknown., Methods: PD-L1 siRNA and plasmids were synthesized and applied respectively to down- or up-regulate PD-L1 expression in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). RNA sequencing was used to explore the differentially expressed genes following PD-L1 overexpression. The expression levels of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin) and the signaling pathways of NLRP-3/caspase-1/pyroptosis were analyzed. A mouse model of indirect ALI was established through hemorrhagic shock (HEM) followed by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), enabling further investigation into the effects of intravenous delivery of PD-L1 siRNA., Results: A total of 1502 differentially expressed genes were identified, comprising 532 down-regulated and 970 up-regulated genes in ECs exhibiting PD-L1overexpression. Enrichment of PD-L1-correlated genes were observed in the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and the TNF signaling pathway. Western blot assays confirmed that PD-L1 overexpression elevated the expression of NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, ASC and GSDMD, and concurrently diminished the expression of ZO-1 and occludin. This overexpression also enhanced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production. Interestingly, mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction with mitoQ partially countered the adverse effects of PD-L1 on the functionality of ECs. Furthermore, intravenous administration of PD-L1 siRNA effectively inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in pulmonary ECs, subsequently ameliorating lung injury in HEM/CLP mice., Conclusion: PD-L1-mediated activation of the inflammasome contributes significantly to the disruption of tight junction and induction of pyroptosis in ECs, where oxidative stress associated with mitochondrial dysfunction serves as a pivotal mechanism underpinning these effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Inflammasomes are multiprotein platforms that control caspase-1 activation, which process the inactive precursor forms of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, leading to an inflammatory type of programmed cell death called pyroptosis. Studying inflammasome-driven processes, such as pyroptosis-induced cell swelling, under controlled conditions remains challenging because the signals that activate pyroptosis also stimulate other signaling pathways. We designed an optogenetic approach using a photo-oligomerizable inflammasome core adapter protein, apoptosis-associated speck-like containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), to temporally and quantitatively manipulate inflammasome activation. We demonstrated that inducing the light-sensitive oligomerization of ASC was sufficient to recapitulate the classical features of inflammasomes within minutes. This system showed that there were two phases of cell swelling during pyroptosis. This approach offers avenues for biophysical investigations into the intricate nature of cellular volume control and plasma membrane rupture during cell death.

Obesity stands as a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases, intertwining increased inflammation and decreased adipogenesis with metabolic disorders. Studies have highlighted the correlation between Caspase-1 and inflammation in obesity, elucidating its essential role in the biological functions of adipose tissue. However, the impact of Caspase-1 on adipogenesis and the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. In our study, we observed a positive correlation between Caspase-1 expression and obesity and its association with adipogenesis. In vivo experiments revealed that, under normal diet conditions, Caspase-1 deficiency improved glucose homeostasis, stimulated subcutaneous adipose tissue expansion, and enhanced adipogenesis. Furthermore, our findings indicate that Caspase-1 deficiency promotes the expression of autophagy-related proteins and inhibits autophagy with 3-MA or CQ blocked Caspase-1 deficiency-induced adipogenesis in vitro. Notably, Caspase-1 deficiency promotes adipogenesis via Atg7-mediated autophagy activation. In addition, Caspase-1 deficiency resisted against high-fat diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance. Our study proposes the downregulation of Caspase-1 as a promising strategy for mitigating obesity and its associated metabolic disorders.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive vascular disease. The relationship between CASP1 gene expression and atherosclerosis remains unclear. The atherosclerosis dataset GSE132651 and GSE202625 profiles were downloaded from gene expression omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. The construction and analysis of protein-protein interaction network, functional enrichment analysis, gene set enrichment analysis, and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database analysis were performed. Gene expression heatmap was drawn. TargetScan was used to screen miRNAs that regulate central DEG. 47 DEGs were identified. According to gene ontology analysis, they were mainly enriched in the regulation of stimulus response, response to organic matter, extracellular region, extracellular region, and the same protein binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome analysis results showed that the target cells were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway, and PPAR signaling pathway. In the enrichment project of Metascape, vascular development, regulation of body fluid levels, and positive regulation of cell motility can be seen in the gene ontology enrichment project. Eleven core genes (CASP1, NLRP3, MRC1, IRS1, PPARG, APOE, IL13, FGF2, CCR2, ICAM1, HIF1A) were obtained. IRS1, PPARG, APOE, FGF2, CCR2, and HIF1A genes are identified as core genes. Gene expression heatmap showed that CASP1 was highly expressed in atherosclerosis samples and low expressed in normal samples. NLRP3, MRC1, IRS1, PPARG, APOE, IL13, FGF2, CCR2, ICAM1, HIF1A were low expressed in atherosclerosis samples. CTD analysis showed that 5 genes (CASP1, NLRP3, CCR2, ICAM1, HIF1A) were found to be associated with pneumonia, inflammation, cardiac enlargement, and tumor invasiveness. CASP1 gene is highly expressed in atherosclerosis. The higher the CASP1 gene, the worse the prognosis., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Liver injury and progressive liver failure are severe life-threatening complications in sepsis, further worsening the disease and leading to death. Macrophages and their mediated inflammatory cytokine storm are critical regulators in the occurrence and progression of liver injury in sepsis, for which effective treatments are still lacking. l-Ascorbic acid 6-palmitate (L-AP), a food additive, can inhibit neuroinflammation by modulating the phenotype of the microglia, but its pharmacological action in septic liver damage has not been fully explored. We aimed to investigate L-AP's antisepticemia action and the possible pharmacological mechanisms in attenuating septic liver damage by modulating macrophage function. We observed that L-AP treatment significantly increased survival in cecal ligation and puncture-induced WT mice and attenuated hepatic inflammatory injury, including the histopathology of the liver tissues, hepatocyte apoptosis, and the liver enzyme levels in plasma, which were comparable to NLRP3-deficiency in septic mice. L-AP supplementation significantly attenuated the excessive inflammatory response in hepatic tissues of septic mice in vivo and in cultured macrophages challenged by both LPS and ATP in vitro, by reducing the levels of NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, and pro-IL-18 mRNA expression, as well as the levels of proteins for p-I-κB-α, p-NF-κB-p65, NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18. Additionally, it impaired the inflammasome ASC spot activation and reduced the inflammatory factor contents, including IL-1β and IL-18 in plasma/cultured superannuants. It also prevented the infiltration/migration of macrophages and their M1-like inflammatory polarization while improving their M2-like polarization. Overall, our findings revealed that L-AP protected against sepsis by reducing macrophage activation and inflammatory cytokine production by suppressing their activation in NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signal pathways in septic liver.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) on the damage of mouse microglial BV2 cells induce by unconjugated bilirubin (UCB)., Methods: The BV2 cell experiments were divided into two parts. (1) For the CMA activation experiment: control group (treated with an equal volume of dimethyl sulfoxide), QX77 group (treated with 20 μmol/L QX77 for 24 hours), UCB group (treated with 40 μmol/L UCB for 24 hours), and UCB+QX77 group (treated with both 20 μmol/L QX77 and 40 μmol/L UCB for 24 hours). (2) For the cell transfection experiment: LAMP2A silencing control group (treated with an equal volume of dimethyl sulfoxide), LAMP2A silencing control+UCB group (treated with 40 μmol/L UCB for 24 hours), LAMP2A silencing group (treated with an equal volume of dimethyl sulfoxide), and LAMP2A silencing+UCB group (treated with 40 μmol/L UCB for 24 hours). The cell viability was assessed using the modified MTT method. The expression levels of p65, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), and cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) were detected by Western blot. The relative mRNA expression levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell culture supernatant were measured using ELISA. The co-localization of heat shock cognate protein 70 with p65 and NLRP3 was detected by immunofluorescence., Results: Compared to the UCB group, the cell viability in the UCB+QX77 group increased, and the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins p65, NLRP3, and caspase-1, as well as the mRNA relative expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α decreased ( P <0.05). Compared to the control group, there was co-localization of heat shock cognate protein 70 with p65 and NLRP3 in both the UCB and UCB+QX77 groups. After silencing the LAMP2A gene, compared to the LAMP2A silencing control+UCB group, the LAMP2A silencing+UCB group showed increased expression levels of inflammation-related proteins p65, NLRP3, and caspase-1, as well as increased mRNA relative expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and levels of IL-6 and TNF-α ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: CMA is inhibited in UCB-induced BV2 cell damage, and activating CMA may reduce p65 and NLRP3 protein levels, suppress inflammatory responses, and counteract bilirubin neurotoxicity.

The inflammasome is a pivotal component of the innate immune system, acting as a multiprotein complex that plays an essential role in detecting and responding to microbial infections. Salmonella Enteritidis have evolved multiple mechanisms to regulate inflammasome activation and evade host immune system clearance. Through screening S . Enteritidis C50336Δ fliC transposon mutant library, we found that the insertion mutant of dinJ increased inflammasome activation. In this study, we demonstrated the genetic connection between the antitoxin DinJ and the toxin YafQ in S . Enteritidis, confirming their co-transcription. The deletion mutant Δ fliC Δ dinJ increased cell death and IL-1β secretion in J774A.1 cells. Western blotting analysis further showed elevated cleaved Caspase-1 product (p10 subunits) and IL-1β secretion in cells infected with Δ fliC Δ dinJ compared to cells infected with Δ fliC . DinJ was found to inhibit canonical inflammasome activation using primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from Casp -/- C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, DinJ specifically inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as demonstrated in BMDMs from Nlrp3 -/- and Nlrc4 -/- mice. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments confirmed the translocation of DinJ into host cells during infection. Finally, we revealed that DinJ could inhibit the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 in vivo , contributing to S . Enteritidis evading host immune clearance. In summary, our findings provide insights into the role of DinJ in modulating the inflammasome response during S . Enteritidis infection, highlighting its impact on inhibiting inflammasome activation and immune evasion., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) can cause intestinal inflammation and diarrhea in yaks, which has a negative impact on their economic value. In recent years, probiotics have gained increasing attention as a pure, natural, nontoxic, harmless, and residue-free additive. However, the underlying mechanisms by which probiotics safeguard against ETEC are not completely elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Enterococcus faecium ( E. faecium ) against ETEC infection in mice through oral gavage. Morphological changes were examined through light microscopy. The expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, NF-κB, and NLRP3), tight junction protein (ZO-1, Claudin-1), and pyroptosis (Caspase-1, Caspase-4, and gasdermin D (GSDMD)) were detected using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR. The results indicate that ETEC infection triggers the activation of inflammation-related pathways (NF-κB) and NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to the expression of a large number of inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, the activation of NLRP3 leads to the release of GSDMD activation through Caspase-1, ultimately resulting in inflammatory injury and pyroptosis. Feeding mice E. faecium early resulted in an increase in the expression of tight junction protein, a reduction in inflammatory cytokines, and alleviation of inflammatory injury and pyroptosis in intestinal tissues. Our research indicates that E. faecium has the ability to antagonize ETEC and provide protection to the gastrointestinal mucosa in mice., Competing Interests: None of the authors have any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.

Myocardial fibrosis is a common pathological manifestation that occurs in various cardiac diseases. The present investigation aims to reveal how DNMT1/lncRNA-ANRIL/NLRP3 influences fibrosis and cardiac fibroblast pyroptosis. Here, we used ISO to induce myocardial fibrosis in mice, and LPS and ATP to induce myocardial fibroblast pyroptosis. The results showed that DNMT1, Caspase-1, and NLRP3 expression were significantly increased in fibrotic murine myocardium and pyroptotic cardiac fibroblasts, whereas LncRNA-ANRIL expression was decreased. DNMT1 overexpression decreased the level of LncRNA-ANRIL while increasing the levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1. Contrarily, silencing DNMT1 increased the LncRNA-ANRIL and decreased the levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1. Silencing LncRNA-ANRIL increased the levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1. The present findings suggest that DNMT1 can methylate LncRNA-ANRIL during the development of myocardial fibrosis and CFs cell scorching, resulting in low LncRNA-ANRIL expression, thereby influencing myocardial fibrosis and cardiac fibroblast pyroptosis.

The most critical forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are associated with excessive activation of the inflammasome. Despite the COVID-19 impact on public health, we still do not fully understand the mechanisms by which the inflammatory response influences disease prognosis. Accordingly, we aimed to elucidate the role of polymorphisms in the key genes of the formation and signaling of the inflammasome as biomarkers of COVID-19 severity. For this purpose, a large and well-defined cohort of 377 COVID-19 patients with mild (n = 72), moderate (n = 84), severe (n = 100), and critical (n = 121) infections were included. A total of 24 polymorphisms located in inflammasome-related genes ( NLRP3 , NLRC4 , NLRP1 , CARD8 , CASP1 , IL1B , IL18 , NFKB1 , ATG16L1 , and MIF ) were genotyped in all of the patients and in the 192 healthy controls (HCs) (who were without COVID-19 at the time of and before the study) by RT-qPCR. Our results showed that patients with mild, moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 presented similar allelic and genotypic distribution in all the variants studied. No statistically significant differences in the haplotypic distribution of NLRP3 , NLRC4 , NLRP1 , CARD8 , CASP1 , IL1B , and ATG16L1 were observed between COVID-19 patients, who were stratified by disease severity. Each stratified group of patients presented a similar genetic distribution to the HCs. In conclusion, our results suggest that the inflammasome polymorphisms studied are not associated with the worsening of COVID-19.

Purpose: We investigated the role of lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 on the occurrence and development of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and neuronal injury by targeting the miR-214-3p/PERM1 axis to find a novel clinical drug target and prediction and treatment of AIS., Methods: The mouse AIS animal model was used in vivo experiments and hypoxia/reoxygenation cell model in vitro was established. Firstly, infarction volume and pathological changes of mouse hippocampal neurons were detected using HE staining. Secondly, rat primary neuron apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry assay. The numbers of neuron, microglia and astrocytes were detected using immunofluorescence (IF). Furthermore, binding detection was performed by bioinformatics database and double luciferase reporter assay. Lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 localization was performed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).Lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1, miR-214-3pand PERM1mRNA expression was performed using RT-qPCR. NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and PERM1 protein expression was performed using Western blotting. IL-1β was detected by ELISA assay., Results: Mouse four-vessel occlusion could easily establish the animal model, and AIS animal model had an obvious time-dependence. HE staining showed that, compared with the sham group, infarction volume and pathological changes of mouse hippocampal neurons were deteriorated in the model group. Furthermore, compared with the sham group, neurons were significantly reduced, while microglia and astrocytes were significantly activated. Moreover, the bioinformatics prediction and detection of double luciferase reporter confirmed the binding site of lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 to miR-214-3p and miR-214-3p to Perm1. lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 and PERM1 expression was significantly down-regulated and miR-214-3pexpression was significantly up-regulated in AIS animal model in vivo. At the same time, the expression of inflammasome NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β was significantly up-regulated in vivo and in vitro. The over-expression of lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 and miR-214-3p inhibitor could inhibit the neuron apoptosis and the expression of inflammasome NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β and up-regulate the expression of PERM1 in vitro. Finally, over-expression of lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 and miR-214-3p inhibitor transfected cell model was significant in relieving the AIS and neuronal injury., Conclusion: Lnc&#95;AABR07044470.1 promotes inflammatory response to neuronal injury via miR-214-3p/PERM1 axis in AIS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Studies on marine fish showed that vegetable oils substituted for excessive fish oil increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production. However, whether the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has a substantial role in fatty acid-induced IL-1β production in fish remains unclear. The associated specific mechanism is also unknown. In this study, nlrp3, caspase-1 and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (asc) were successfully cloned, and NLRP3 inflammasome consisted of NLRP3, caspase-1 and ASC in large yellow croaker. Primary hepatocytes of fish incubated with palmitic acid (PA) exhibited the highest expression of pro-inflammatory genes (il-1β and tnfα) and NLRP3 inflammasome related genes (nlrp3, caspase-1 and asc), caspase-1 activity and IL-1β production among different treatments. Furthermore, PA-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation was confirmed to require two signals: the first signal was that PA promoted the NF-κB (P65) protein into the nucleus, and NF-κB increased NLRP3 promoter activity and nlrp3 transcription. The second signal was that PA inhibited AMPK phosphorylation and decreased mitophagy by inhibiting the expression of PINK and parkin proteins, thereby damaging the mitochondria that could not be effectively cleared. Mitochondrial damage generated excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species, which activated the NLRP3 inflammasome and then induced caspase-1 activity and IL-1β production. Therefore, excessive dietary PA activated NLRP3 inflammasome through NF-κB and AMPK-mitophagy-ROS pathways to induce IL-1β production, thereby leading to inflammation in fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Atrazine (ATR), a commonly used herbicide, is highly bioaccumulative and toxic, posing a threat to a wide range of organisms. Curcumin has strong antioxidant properties. However, it is unclear whether curcumin counteracts cellular pyroptosis as well as cell cycle arrest induced by ATR exposure. Therefore, we conducted a study using TCMK-1 cells and established cell models by adding 139 μmol/L ATR and 20 μmol/L curcumin. The results showed that ATR exposure produced excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced activities of enzymes such as GSH-PX, SOD and Total Antioxidant Capacity, markedly increased the content of H2O2, disrupted the antioxidant system, activated Caspase-1, and the expression levels of the pyroptosis-related genes NLRP3, GSDMD, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 were increased. The simultaneous excess of ROS led to DNA damage, activation of P53 led to elevated expression levels of P53 and P21, as a consequence, the expression levels of cyclinE, CDK2 and CDK4 were reduced. These results suggest that Cur can modulate ATR exposure-induced pyroptosis as well as cell cycle arrest in TCMK-1 cells by governing oxidative stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The caspase, functioning as a proteinase, plays a crucial role in eukaryotic cell apoptosis, regulation of apoptosis, cellular growth, differentiation, and immunity. The identification of caspase gene family in Sebastes schlegelii is of great help to understand its antimicrobial research. In S. schlegelii, we totally identified nine caspase genes, including four apoptosis initiator caspases (caspase 2, caspase 8, caspase 9 and caspase 10), four apoptosis executioners (caspase 3a, caspase 3b, caspase 6, and caspase 7) and one inflammatory executioner (caspase 1). The duplication of caspase 3 genes on chr3 and chr8 may have been facilitated by whole genome duplication (WGD) events or other complex evolutionary processes. In general, the number of caspase genes relatively conserved in high vertebrates, while exhibiting variation in teleosts. Furthermore, syntenic analysis and phylogenetic relationships analysis supported the correct classification of these caspase gene family in S. schlegelii, especially for genes with duplicated copies. Additionally, the expression patterns of these caspase genes in different tissues of S. schlegelii under healthy conditions were assessed. The results revealed that the expression levels of most caspase genes were significantly elevated in the intestine, spleen, and liver. To further investigate the potential immune functions of these caspase genes in S. schlegelii, we challenged individuals with A. salmonicida and V. anguillarum, respectively. After infection with A. salmonicida, the expression levels of caspase 1 in the liver and spleen of S. schlegelii remained consistently elevated throughout the infection time points. The expression levels of most caspase family members in the intestine exhibited significant divergence following V. anguillarum infection. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the caspase gene families in S. schlegelii, thereby establishing a solid foundation for further investigations into the functional roles of these caspase genes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acting as one common sepsis-associated organ injury, induces uncontrolled and self-amplifies pulmonary inflammation. Given the lack of clinically effective approaches, the mortality rate of it still remains high. Suramin(SUR), as an antiparasitic drug initially, was found to ameliorate sepsis associated ALI in our previous work. However, the underlying mechanism of its protective effects has not been clarified. Pyroptosis, categorized as an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, could aggravate lung inflammatory responses via inducing alveolar macrophages (AM) pyroptosis., Methods: MH-S AM cell line was stimulated with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or suramin, and the differential expression genes (DEGs) were excavated using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). To identify the regulatory roles of these genes, pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs), GO/KEGG and GSEA analysis were conducted. We also performed WB, qRTPCR and ELISA to validate the RNA-seq results and further expound the protective effect of suramin., Results: 624 DEGs were identified between control (CON) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) groups, and enrichment analysis of these genes revealed significantly enriched pathways that related to immune system and signal transduction. Meanwhile, 500 DEGs were identified in LPS/SUR+LPS group. In addition to the pathways mentioned above, IL-17 pathway and C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway were also enriched. All 6 pathways were connected with pyroptosis. Concurrently, the "DESeq2" R package was used to identify differentially expressed PRGs. Nod1, Nod2, interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), NLRP3 were upregulated under LPS stimulation. Then, in SUR+LPS group, Nod2, IL-6, IL-1b, NLRP3 were downregulated. The validation results of WB, qRT-PCR, and ELISA showed: the protein and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, GSDMD and the concentrations of IL-1b, IL-18 were decreased when treated with suramin and LPS., Conclusion: Suramin could inhibit NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD canonical pyroptosis pathway in LPS-induced MH-S alveolar macrophages., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To elucidate the effect of NLRP3 variant c.61G>C on interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in keratitis fugax hereditaria (KFH), a cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome limited to the eye, and to probe the potential modifying role of prednisolone., Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from whole blood of patients with KFH and healthy controls were grown under steady-state conditions or primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without prednisolone, and subsequently activated with ATP. Cell lysates and proteins precipitated from the cell culture media were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. NLRP3, procaspase-1, and IL-1β were visualised by western blotting. The concentration of secreted IL-1β in the culture media was quantified by ELISA., Results: Following priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome with LPS, a lower threshold for IL-1β secretion was observed in patient-derived PBMCs, compared with healthy controls (median, 124 vs 10 pg/mL, respectively). Interestingly, in PBMCs derived from patients with frequent KFH symptoms, LPS priming alone was able to trigger substantial IL-1β secretion (median, 522 pg/mL), whereas those of patients experiencing occasional KFH attacks showed a subtler release of IL-1β (median, 85 pg/mL). NLRP3 expression was significantly enhanced with LPS stimulation (p=0.03) whereas procaspase-1 expression was not affected. LPS and ATP treated PBMCs from patients with KFH showed significantly diminished IL-1β secretion with prednisolone treatment (p=0.04)., Conclusions: PBMCs from patients with KFH are more prone to secrete IL-1β, confirming the presumption that the c.61G>C is a gain-of-function variant. Furthermore, prednisolone is confirmed as a potent drug to reduce IL-1β secretion in KFH., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on nuclear transcription factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3)/cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-1 (Caspase-1) pathway in the substantia nigra (SN) of mice with Parkinson's disease (PD), so as to explore the neuroprotective mechanism of EA., Methods: Forty C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely, control, PD model, EA and sham-EA groups, with 10 mice in each group. The PD mouse model was established by gavage of rotenone for 4 weeks. Mice in the EA group were given EA stimulation (1 mA, 2 Hz) at "Fengfu" (GV36), bilateral "Taichong" (LR3) and "Zusanli" (ST36) for 30 min, once daily for 2 consecutive weeks. And mice in the sham-EA group were given acupuncture at the subcutaneous areas of the same acupoints without EA stimulation. The open-field test was used for assessment of mouse behavior. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . The positive expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in SN was determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of Nrf2, NLRP3, Caspase-1, gasdermin D(GSDMD), IL-1β, IL-18 and the protein expression levels of Nrf2, NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD in the SN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, separately., Results: After modeling, compared with the control group, the behavioral score was increased ( P <0.01), the total exercise time, the total distance and the average speed were decreased ( P <0.01), and the positive expression of TH and the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2 in the SN were decreased ( P <0.01), while the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum, the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD and the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the SN were up-regulated ( P <0.01) in the PD model group. Following EA intervention, the behavioral score was decreased( P <0.01), the total exercise time, total distance and average speed were increased ( P <0.01), the positive expression of TH and the mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 in SN were up-regulated ( P <0.01, P <0.05), while the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in serum, the mRNA and protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD as well as the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and IL-18 in the SN were down-regulated ( P <0.01, P <0.05) in the EA group relative to the PD model and sham-EA groups. There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the PD model and sham-EA groups., Conclusions: EA stimulation of GV36, LR3 and ST36 can improve motor deficits, reduce the loss of dopamine neurons in the SN, and inhibit neuroinflammatory responses in mice with PD, which may be related to its effects in regulating the Nrf2/NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway mediated pyroptosis.

Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, such as obesity. However, the influence of HDAC11 on inflammation and the specific effect of HDAC11 on the palmitic acid (PA)-induced NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation are poorly understood. The effect of PA treatment on HDAC11 activity and the NLRP3 inflammasome was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and THP-1 cells. The PA-induced responses of key markers of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, including NLRP3 gene expression, caspase-1 p10 activation, cleaved IL-1β production, and extracellular IL-1β release, were assessed as well. The role of HDAC11 was explored using a specific inhibitor of HDAC11 and by knockdown using small interfering (si)HDAC11 RNA. The relationship between HDAC11 and yes-associated protein (YAP) in the PA-induced NLRP3 inflammasome was investigated in THP-1 cells with HDAC11 or YAP knockdown. Following PA treatment, HDAC11 activity and protein levels increased significantly, concomitant with activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Notably, PA-induced the upregulation of NLRP3, caspase-1 p10 activation, the production of cleaved IL-1β, and the release of IL-1β into the extracellular space, all of which were attenuated by FT895 treatment and by HDAC11 knockdown. In THP-1 cells, PA induced the expression of YAP and its interaction with NLRP3, resulting in NLRP3 inflammasome activation, whereas both were inhibited by FT895 and siHDAC11 RNA. These findings demonstrate a pivotal role for HDAC11 in the PA-induced activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. HDAC11 inhibition thus represents a promising therapeutic strategy for mitigating NLRP3 inflammasome-related inflammation in the context of obesity., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Inflammasomes are large protein complexes that play a major role in sensing inflammatory signals and triggering the innate immune response. Each inflammasome complex has three major components: an upstream sensor molecule that is connected to a downstream effector protein such as caspase-1 through the adapter protein ASC. Inflammasome formation typically occurs in response to infectious agents or cellular damage. The active inflammasome then triggers caspase-1 activation, followed by the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and pyroptotic cell death. Aberrant inflammasome activation and activity contribute to the development of diabetes, cancer, and several cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. As a result, recent research has increasingly focused on investigating the mechanisms that regulate inflammasome assembly and activation, as well as the potential of targeting inflammasomes to treat various diseases. Multiple clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the therapeutic potential of several distinct inflammasome-targeting therapies. Therefore, understanding how different inflammasomes contribute to disease pathology may have significant implications for developing novel therapeutic strategies. In this article, we provide a summary of the biological and pathological roles of inflammasomes in health and disease. We also highlight key evidence that suggests targeting inflammasomes could be a novel strategy for developing new disease-modifying therapies that may be effective in several conditions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The host restricts Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection of the gut via inflammasome-dependent sloughing of infected epithelial cells. Here we determined that concurrent caspase 1/11-dependent release of the goblet cell-derived mucin, Muc2, into the intestinal lumen also controls Salmonella burdens in infected mice. The increased release of mucins from goblet cells in the cecum and nearby proximal colon, and the subsequent thickening of the protective mucus barrier layer in the distal colon, were all dependent on the cytokines interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-22, as deficiencies in either cytokine resulted in reduced mucin secretion. Supplementation of IL-18 into IL-22 deficient mice restored mucin secretion, indicating that IL-22 acted upstream of IL-18 secretion during infection. In contrast, IL-18 and IL-22 independent signaling through Nlrp6 underlies only a modest, infection-induced increase in mucin secretion from goblet cells in the distal colon. These findings reveal that inflammasome signaling orchestrates multiple levels of protection centered on the intestinal epithelium, including pyroptosis and expulsion of infected enterocytes, as well as the release of mucins by goblet cells in the cecum and along the length of the colon. Our studies underscore the pivotal, multi-faceted role of inflammasome signaling in promoting host defense at the intestinal mucosal surface.

Objective: To explore the effect of miR-370-3p on LPS triggering, in particular its involvement in disease progression by targeting the TLR4-NLRP3-caspase-1 cellular pyroptosis pathway in macrophages., Methods: Human macrophage RAW264.7 was divided into 6 groups: control, LPS, LPS + inhibitor-NC, LPS + miR-370-3p inhibitor, LPS + mimics-NC and LPS + miR-370-3p mimics. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-370-3p and analyzed comparatively. CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis. ELISA assay was used to detect the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the supernatant of the cells. The WB assay was used to detect TLR4, NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD levels., Results: After LPS induction, macrophage miR-370-3p levels decreased, cell viability decreased, and apoptosis increased. At the same time, the levels of TLR4, NLRP3, Caspase-1 and GSDMD increased in the cells, and the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α increased in the cell supernatant. Compared with the LPS group, the significantly higher expression level of miR-370-3p in the cells of the LPS + miR-370-3p mimics group was accompanied by significantly higher cell viability, significantly lower apoptosis rate, significantly lower levels of TLR4, NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD in the cells, and significantly lower levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the cell supernatant., Conclusion: MiR-370-3p may be involved in anti-infective immune responses by targeting and inhibiting the macrophage TLR4-NLRP3-caspase-1 cellular pyroptosis pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.