Active caspase-1-mediated secretion of retinoic acid inducible gene-I

J Immunol. 2008 Nov 15;181(10):7324-31. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.10.7324.

Abstract

Caspase-1 is an inflammatory caspase that controls the activation and secretion of the inflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta and IL-18. We observed that cellular levels of retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) were enhanced when the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk or caspase-1-specific inhibitor Z-WEHD-fmk blocked caspase activity. Overexpression of caspase-1 reduced cellular levels of RIG-I and inhibited RIG-I-mediated signaling activity. Enzymatic activity of caspase-1 was necessary to control RIG-I, although it was not a substrate of proteolytic cleavage by caspase-1. Caspase-1 physically interacted with full length RIG-I, but not with mutant forms lacking either the amino- or carboxyl-terminal domains. RIG-I was present in the supernatant of cells transfected with active caspase-1 but not with caspase-4. Stimulating cells with LPS and ATP also induced secretion of endogenous RIG-I in macrophages. Our data suggest a novel mechanism that negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated signaling activity via caspase-1-dependent secretion of RIG-I protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Caspase 1 / immunology*
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • DEAD Box Protein 58
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Poly I-C / immunology
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Caspase 1
  • RIGI protein, human
  • DEAD Box Protein 58
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases
  • Poly I-C