Activation of the Non-canonical Inflammasome in Mouse and Human Cells

Abstract

The non-canonical inflammasome is a signaling platform that allows for the detection of cytoplasmic lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in immune and non-immune cells. Upon detection of LPS, this inflammasome activates the signaling proteases caspase-4 and -5 (in humans) and caspase-11 (in mice). Inflammatory caspases activation leads to caspase self-processing and the cleavage of the pore-forming protein Gasdermin D (GSDMD). GSDMD N-terminal fragments oligomerize and form pores at the plasma membranes, leading to an inflammatory form of cell death called pyroptosis. Here, we describe a simple method to activate the non-canonical inflammasome in myeloid and epithelial cells and to measure its activity using cell death assay and immunoblotting.

Keywords: Caspase; Caspase-11; Caspase-4; Epithelial cells; Gasdermin D; Lactate dehydrogenase; Lipopolysaccharides; Macrophages; Monocytes; Non-canonical inflammasome; Pyroptosis.