Flightless-I regulates proinflammatory caspases by selectively modulating intracellular localization and caspase activity

J Cell Biol. 2008 Apr 21;181(2):321-33. doi: 10.1083/jcb.200711082. Epub 2008 Apr 14.

Abstract

Caspase-1 and caspase-11 are proinflammatory caspases that regulate cytokine production and leukocyte migration during pathogen infection. In an attempt to identify new intracellular regulators of caspase-11, we found that Flightless-I, a member of the gelsolin superfamily of actin-remodeling proteins, interacts and regulates both caspase-11 and caspase-1. Flightless-I targets caspase-11 to the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton fraction and the cell leading edge. In addition, Flightless-I inhibits caspase-1 activation and caspase-1-mediated interleukine-1beta (IL-1beta) maturation. The physiological relevance of these findings is supported by the opposing effects of Flightless-I overexpression and knockdown on caspase-1 activity and IL-1beta maturation. Our results suggest that Flightless-I may be a bona fide caspase-1 inhibitor that acts through a mechanism similar to that of cytokine response modifier A, a potent caspase-1 inhibitor from the cowpox virus. Our study provides a new mechanism controlling the localization and activation of proinflammatory caspases.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Biotinylation
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism*
  • Caspases / genetics
  • Caspases / metabolism*
  • Caspases, Initiator
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Kinetics
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Plasmids
  • Trans-Activators

Substances

  • Actins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • FlII protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Trans-Activators
  • Casp4 protein, mouse
  • Caspases
  • Caspases, Initiator
  • Caspase 1