Endothelial cell pyroptosis plays an important role in Kawasaki disease via HMGB1/RAGE/cathespin B signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Oct 14;10(10):778. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-2021-3.

Abstract

Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common cause of pediatric cardiac disease in developed countries, and can lead to permanent coronary artery damage and long term sequelae such as coronary artery aneurysms. Given the prevalence and severity of KD, further research is warranted on its pathophysiology. It is known that endothelial cell damage and inflammation are two essential processes resulting in the coronary endothelial dysfunction in KD. However, detailed mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of pyroptosis in the setting of KD, and hypothesized that pyroptosis may play a central role in its pathophysiology. In vivo experiments of patients with KD demonstrated that serum levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, including ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, GSDMD and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), were significantly increased in KD compared with healthy controls (HCs). Moreover, western blot analysis showed that the expression of GSDMD and mature IL-1β was notably elevated in KD sera. In vitro, exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to KD sera-treated THP1 cells resulted in the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent pyroptosis induction, as evidenced by elevated expression of caspase-1, GSDMD, cleaved p30 form of GSDMD, IL-1β and IL-18, and increased LDH release and TUNEL and propidium iodide (PI)-positive cells. Furthermore, our results showed that NLRP3-dependent endothelial cell pyroptosis was activated by HMGB1/RAGE/cathepsin B signaling. These findings were also recapitulated in a mouse model of KD induced by Candida albicans cell wall extracts (CAWS). Together, our findings suggest that endothelial cell pyroptosis may play a significant role in coronary endothelial damage in KD, providing novel evidence that further elucidates its pathophysiology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Candida albicans / pathogenicity
  • Caspase 1 / genetics
  • Cathepsins / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • HMGB1 Protein / genetics*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Inflammasomes / genetics
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism
  • Interleukin-18 / genetics
  • Interleukin-1beta / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics*
  • Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / genetics*
  • Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / microbiology
  • Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / pathology
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / genetics*
  • Phosphate-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Pyroptosis / genetics*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • GSDMD protein, human
  • HMGB1 Protein
  • HMGB1 protein, human
  • IL1B protein, human
  • Inflammasomes
  • Interleukin-18
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • NLRP3 protein, human
  • Phosphate-Binding Proteins
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • MOK protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Cathepsins
  • Caspase 1