Bacterial RNA and small antiviral compounds activate caspase-1 through cryopyrin/Nalp3

Nature. 2006 Mar 9;440(7081):233-6. doi: 10.1038/nature04517. Epub 2006 Jan 11.

Abstract

Missense mutations in the CIAS1 gene cause three autoinflammatory disorders: familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome and neonatal-onset multiple-system inflammatory disease. Cryopyrin (also called Nalp3), the product of CIAS1, is a member of the NOD-LRR protein family that has been linked to the activation of intracellular host defence signalling pathways. Cryopyrin forms a multi-protein complex termed 'the inflammasome', which contains the apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and caspase-1, and promotes caspase-1 activation and processing of pro-interleukin (IL)-1beta (ref. 4). Here we show the effect of cryopyrin deficiency on inflammasome function and immune responses. Cryopyrin and ASC are essential for caspase-1 activation and IL-1beta and IL-18 production in response to bacterial RNA and the imidazoquinoline compounds R837 and R848. In contrast, secretion of tumour-necrosis factor-alpha and IL-6, as well as activation of NF-kappaB and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were unaffected by cryopyrin deficiency. Furthermore, we show that Toll-like receptors and cryopyrin control the secretion of IL-1beta and IL-18 through different intracellular pathways. These results reveal a critical role for cryopyrin in host defence through bacterial RNA-mediated activation of caspase-1, and provide insights regarding the pathogenesis of autoinflammatory syndromes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / deficiency
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Aminoquinolines / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / deficiency
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Female
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • Imiquimod
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1 / immunology
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-18 / immunology
  • Interleukin-18 / metabolism
  • Legionella pneumophila / genetics
  • Legionella pneumophila / immunology
  • Listeria monocytogenes / genetics
  • Listeria monocytogenes / immunology
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / drug effects
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / microbiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Multiprotein Complexes / chemistry
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Bacterial / immunology
  • RNA, Bacterial / pharmacology*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / agonists
  • Toll-Like Receptors / deficiency
  • Toll-Like Receptors / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptors / immunology

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Aminoquinolines
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Imidazoles
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-18
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Myd88 protein, mouse
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • NF-kappa B
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • Pycard protein, mouse
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Caspase 1
  • Imiquimod
  • resiquimod