The cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15d-PGJ2 inhibits the NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes

J Immunol. 2015 Mar 15;194(6):2776-85. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401611. Epub 2015 Feb 13.

Abstract

Inflammasomes are cytosolic protein complexes that respond to diverse danger signals by activating caspase-1. The sensor components of the inflammasome, often proteins of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family, detect stress, danger stimuli, and pathogen-associated molecular patterns. We report that the eicosanoid 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-PGJ2 (15d-PGJ2) and related cyclopentenone PGs inhibit caspase-1 activation by the NLR family leucine-rich repeat protein (NLRP)1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes. This inhibition was independent of the well-characterized role of 15d-PGJ2 as a peroxisome proliferator receptor-γ agonist, its activation of NF erythroid 2-related factor 2, or its anti-inflammatory function as an inhibitor of NF-κB. Instead, 15d-PGJ2 prevents the autoproteolytic activation of caspase-1 and the maturation of IL-1β through induction of a cellular state inhibitory to caspase-1 proteolytic function. The eicosanoid does not directly modify or inactivate the caspase-1 enzyme. Rather, inhibition is dependent on de novo protein synthesis. In a mouse peritonitis model of gout, using monosodium urate crystals to activate NLRP3, 15d-PGJ2 caused a significant inhibition of cell recruitment and associated IL-1β release. Furthermore, in a murine anthrax infection model, 15d-PGJ2 reversed anthrax lethal toxin-mediated NLRP1-dependent resistance. The findings reported in this study suggest a novel mechanism for the anti-inflammatory properties of the cyclopentenone PGs through inhibition of caspase-1 and the inflammasome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Bacillus anthracis / chemistry
  • Bacterial Toxins / toxicity
  • Blotting, Western
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Inflammasomes / drug effects*
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Structure
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Prostaglandin D2 / analogs & derivatives*
  • Prostaglandin D2 / chemistry
  • Prostaglandin D2 / pharmacology
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology
  • Protein Biosynthesis / drug effects
  • Proteolysis / drug effects

Substances

  • 15-deoxyprostaglandin J2
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammasomes
  • NALP1 protein, mouse
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • Protective Agents
  • Caspase 1
  • Prostaglandin D2