Panagiotis Tourlomousis

Inflammasome activation causes dual recruitment of NLRC4 and NLRP3 to the same macromolecular complex

Significance The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family members, NLRC4 and NLRP3, activate the inflammasome to provide host defenses against infection. The precise molecular constituents of an inflammasome are unknown; however, it is believed that receptor-specific complexes containing apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) and caspase-1 are formed. Here, we used confocal and superresolution microscopy to show that in macrophages infected with Salmonella Typhimurium, a pathogen that activates two distinct NLRs, ASC forms an outer ring-like structure that comprises NLRC4, NLRP3, caspase-1, caspase-8, and pro–IL-1β within the same macromolecular complex. These results suggest that the inflammasome is a highly dynamic macromolecular protein complex capable of recruiting different NLRs and effectors to coordinate inflammasome responses to infection. Pathogen recognition by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) results in the formation of a macromolecular protein complex (inflammasome) that drives protective inflammatory responses in the host. It is thought that the number of inflammasome complexes forming in a cell is determined by the number of NLRs being activated, with each NLR initiating its own inflammasome assembly independent of one another; however, we show here that the important foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) simultaneously activates at least two NLRs, whereas only a single inflammasome complex is formed in a macrophage. Both nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat caspase recruitment domain 4 and nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain 3 are simultaneously present in the same inflammasome, where both NLRs are required to drive IL-1β processing within the Salmonella-infected cell and to regulate the bacterial burden in mice. Superresolution imaging of Salmonella-infected macrophages revealed a macromolecular complex with an outer ring of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain and an inner ring of NLRs, with active caspase effectors containing the pro–IL-1β substrate localized internal to the ring structure. Our data reveal the spatial localization of different components of the inflammasome and how different members of the NLR family cooperate to drive robust IL-1β processing during Salmonella infection.

Salmonella Infection Induces Recruitment of Caspase-8 to the Inflammasome To Modulate IL-1β Production

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain–like receptors (NLRs) detect pathogens and danger-associated signals within the cell. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, an intracellular pathogen, activates caspase-1 required for the processing of the proinflammatory cytokines, pro–IL-1β and pro–IL-18, and pyroptosis. In this study, we show that Salmonella infection induces the formation of an apoptosis-associated specklike protein containing a CARD (ASC)–Caspase-8–Caspase-1 inflammasome in macrophages. Caspase-8 and caspase-1 are recruited to the ASC focus independently of one other. Salmonella infection initiates caspase-8 proteolysis in a manner dependent on NLRC4 and ASC, but not NLRP3, caspase-1 or caspase-11. Caspase-8 primarily mediates the synthesis of pro-IL-1β, but is dispensable for Salmonella-induced cell death. Overall, our findings highlight that the ASC inflammasome can recruit different members of the caspase family to induce distinct effector functions in response to Salmonella infection.

Mitochondrial damage contributes to Pseudomonas aeruginosa activation of the inflammasome and is downregulated by autophagy

The nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing family caspase recruitment domain containing 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome can be activated by pathogenic bacteria via products translocated through the microbial type III secretion apparatus (T3SS). Recent work has shown that activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is downregulated by autophagy, but the influence of autophagy on NLRC4 activation is unclear. We set out to determine how autophagy might influence this process, using the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which activates the NLRC4 inflammasome via its T3SS. Infection resulted in T3SS-dependent mitochondrial damage with increased production of reactive oxygen intermediates and release of mitochondrial DNA. Inhibiting mitochondrial reactive oxygen release or degrading intracellular mitochondrial DNA abrogated NLRC4 inflammasome activation. Moreover, macrophages lacking mitochondria failed to activate NLRC4 following infection. Removal of damaged mitochondria by autophagy significantly attenuated NLRC4 inflammasome activation. Mitochondrial DNA bound specifically to NLRC4 immunoprecipitates and transfection of mitochondrial DNA directly activated the NLRC4 inflammasome; oxidation of the DNA enhanced this effect. Manipulation of autophagy altered the degree of inflammasome activation and inflammation in an in vivo model of P. aeruginosa infection. Our results reveal a novel mechanism contributing to NLRC4 activation by P. aeruginosa via mitochondrial damage and release of mitochondrial DNA triggered by the bacterial T3SS that is downregulated by autophagy.

Actin polymerization as a key innate immune effector mechanism to control Salmonella infection.

Significance Infectious diseases are responsible for one-third of all mortality worldwide. Innate immunity is critical for mounting host defenses that eliminate pathogens. Salmonella is a global food-borne pathogen that infects and replicates within macrophages. How inflammasomes—multimeric protein complexes that provide innate immune protection—function to restrict bacterial burden in macrophages remains unknown. We show that actin polymerization is critical for NLRC4 inflammasome activation in response to Salmonella infection. NLRC4 activation in Salmonella-infected cells prevents further uptake of bacteria by inducing cellular stiffness and antimicrobial responses, which prevent bacterial dissemination in the host. These results demonstrate a critical link between innate immunity and the actin cytoskeleton in the cellular defense against Salmonella infection. Salmonellosis is one of the leading causes of food poisoning worldwide. Controlling bacterial burden is essential to surviving infection. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs), such as NLRC4, induce inflammasome effector functions and play a crucial role in controlling Salmonella infection. Inflammasome-dependent production of IL-1β recruits additional immune cells to the site of infection, whereas inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis of macrophages releases bacteria for uptake by neutrophils. Neither of these functions is known to directly kill intracellular salmonellae within macrophages. The mechanism, therefore, governing how inflammasomes mediate intracellular bacterial-killing and clearance in host macrophages remains unknown. Here, we show that actin polymerization is required for NLRC4-dependent regulation of intracellular bacterial burden, inflammasome assembly, pyroptosis, and IL-1β production. NLRC4-induced changes in actin polymerization are physically manifested as increased cellular stiffness, and leads to reduced bacterial uptake, production of antimicrobial molecules, and arrested cellular migration. These processes act in concert to limit bacterial replication in the cell and dissemination in tissues. We show, therefore, a functional link between innate immunity and actin turnover in macrophages that underpins a key host defense mechanism for the control of salmonellosis.

Detection of a microbial metabolite by STING regulates inflammasome activation in response to Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

The innate immune system is a critical component of host defence against microbial pathogens, but effective responses require an ability to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious insult to prevent inappropriate inflammation. Using the important obligate intracellular human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis; an organism that causes significant immunopathology, we sought to determine critical host and pathogen factors that contribute to the induction of inflammasome activation. We assayed inflammasome activation by immunoblotting and ELISA to detect IL-1β processing and LDH release to determine pyroptosis. Using primary murine bone marrow derived macrophages or human monocyte derived dendritic cells, infected with live or attenuated Chlamydia trachomatis we report that the live organism activates both canonical and non-canonical inflammasomes, but only canonical inflammasomes controlled IL-1β processing which preceded pyroptosis. NADPH oxidase deficient macrophages were permissive to Chlamydia trachomatis replication and displayed elevated type-1 interferon and inflammasome activation. Conversely, attenuated, non-replicating Chlamydia trachomatis, primed but did not activate inflammasomes and stimulated reduced type-1 interferon responses. This suggested bacterial replication or metabolism as important factors that determine interferon responses and inflammasome activation. We identified STING but not cGAS as a central mediator of interferon regulated inflammasome activation. Interestingly, exogenous delivery of a Chlamydia trachomatis metabolite and STING ligand—cyclic di-AMP, recovered inflammasome activation to attenuated bacteria in a STING dependent manner thus indicating that a bacterial metabolite is a key factor initiating inflammasome activation through STING, independent of cGAS. These data suggest a potential mechanism of how the innate immune system can distinguish between infectious and non-infectious insult and instigate appropriate immune responses that could be therapeutically targeted.

The Schistosoma mansoni T2 ribonuclease omega-1 modulates inflammasome-dependent IL-1β secretion in macrophages

The T2 ribonuclease omega-1 is a powerful Th2-inducing factor secreted by the eggs of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. Omega-1 can modulate pattern recognition receptor-induced inflammatory signatures and alter antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Recent findings have suggested that component(s) contained in or secreted by S. mansoni eggs (soluble egg antigen) can also enhance IL-1β secretion by dendritic cells stimulated with pattern recognition receptor ligands. Here we show that omega-1 enhances IL-1β secretion in macrophages stimulated with Toll-like receptor 2 ligand, and propose omega-1 as the factor in soluble egg antigen capable of regulating inflammasome activity. This effect is dependent on the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1, caspase-8 and the ASC inflammasome adaptor protein, highlighting the ability of omega-1 to regulate multiple pattern recognition receptor signalling pathways. These mechanistic insights into manipulation of host immunity by a parasite product have implications for the design of anti-inflammatory therapeutic drugs.

CARD9 negatively regulates NLRP3-induced IL-1β production on Salmonella infection of macrophages.

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a proinflammatory cytokine required for host control of bacterial infections, and its production must be tightly regulated to prevent excessive inflammation. Here we show that caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9), a protein associated with induction of proinflammatory cytokines by fungi, has a negative role on IL-1β production during bacterial infection. Specifically, in response to activation of the nucleotide oligomerization domain receptor pyrin-domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) by Salmonella infection, CARD9 negatively regulates IL-1β by fine-tuning pro-IL-1β expression, spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK)-mediated NLRP3 activation and repressing inflammasome-associated caspase-8 activity. CARD9 is suppressed during Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection, facilitating increased IL-1β production. CARD9 is, therefore, a central signalling hub that coordinates a pathogen-specific host inflammatory response.

Research data supporting “CARD9 negatively regulates NLRP3-induced IL-1b production upon Salmonella infection of macrophages”

Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine required for host control of bacterial infections, and its production must be tightly regulated to prevent excessive inflammation. Here we identify show a surprising negative regulatory role for caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9), a protein associated with induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines by fungi, has a negative role on IL-1β production during bacterial infection. CARD9 negatively regulates IL-1β productionSpecifically, in response to activation of the nucleotide oligomerization domain receptor pyrin-domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) by Salmonella infection, CARD9 negatively regulates IL-1β by fine-tuning pro-IL-1β expression, reducing SYK-mediated NLRP3 activation and repressing inflammasome inflammasome-associated caspase-8 activity. CARD9 is suppressed during Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection, facilitating increased IL-1β production. CARD9 is, therefore, a central signalling hub that co-ordinates a pathogen- specific host inflammatory response.