Protective role for caspase-11 during acute experimental murine colitis

Physicochemical and nutraceutical properties of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves and their effects in an in vivo AOM/DSS-induced colorectal carcinogenesis model

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a plant that has generated great interest in recent years because of its attributed medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to characterize the bioactive compounds of moringa leaves (MO) and evaluate their effect on a colorectal carcinogenesis model. Twenty-four male CD-1 mice were divided into 4 groups: Group 1 fed with basal diet (negative control/NC); Group 2 received AOM/DSS (positive control); Groups 3 and 4 were fed with basal diet supplemented with moringa leaves (2.5% w/w and 5% w/w, respectively) for 12weeks. Moringa leaves exhibited a high content of dietary fiber (~18.75%) and insoluble dietary fiber (2.29%). There were identified 9 phenolic compounds whereas the chlorogenic and ρ-coumaric acid showed the higher contents (44.23-63.34μg/g and 180.45-707.42μg/g, respectively). Moringa leaves decreased the activity of harmful fecal enzymes (β-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase, tryptophanase and urease up to 40%, 43%, 103% and 266%, respectively) as well tumors incidence in male CD1-mice (~50% with 5% w/v of moringa dose). These findings suggest that the bioactive compounds of moringa such as total dietary fiber and phenolic compounds may have chemopreventive capacity. This is the first study of the suppressive effect of moringa leaves in an in vivo model of AOM/DSS-induced colorectal carcinogenesis.

Emerging Insights into Noncanonical Inflammasome Recognition of Microbes

Inflammasomes are cytosolic multi-molecular complexes that sense intracellular microbial danger signals and metabolic perturbations. Inflammasome activation leads to the activation of caspase-1 and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 accompanied by cell death. An inflammasome-based surveillance machinery for Gram-negative bacterial infections has been recently discovered. This noncanonical inflammasome relies on sensing the cytosolic presence of lipopolysaccharide of Gram-negative bacteria via inflammatory caspases such as caspase-4, -5, and -11. This review discusses the recent findings related to the mechanism of activation of the noncanonical inflammasome and its biological functions.

Epithelial Cell Inflammasomes in Intestinal Immunity and Inflammation

Pattern recognition receptors (PRR), such as NOD-like receptors (NLRs), sense conserved microbial signatures, and host danger signals leading to the coordination of appropriate immune responses. Upon activation, a subset of NLR initiate the assembly of a multimeric protein complex known as the inflammasome, which processes pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediates a specialized form of cell death known as pyroptosis. The identification of inflammasome-associated genes as inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility genes implicates a role for the inflammasome in intestinal inflammation. Despite the fact that the functional importance of inflammasomes within immune cells has been well established, the contribution of inflammasome expression in non-hematopoietic cells remains comparatively understudied. Given that intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) act as a barrier between the host and the intestinal microbiota, inflammasome expression by these cells is likely important for intestinal immune homeostasis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the inflammasome plays a key role in shaping epithelial responses at the host-lumen interface with many inflammasome components highly expressed by IEC. Recent studies have exposed functional roles of IEC inflammasomes in mucosal immune defense, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. In this review, we present the main features of the predominant inflammasomes and their effector mechanisms contributing to intestinal homeostasis and inflammation. We also discuss existing controversies in the field and open questions related to their implications in disease. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of intestinal inflammasome signaling could hold therapeutic potential for clinical translation.

The Role of Interferons in Inflammation and Inflammasome Activation

Inflammation is an essential physiological process, which enables survival during infection and maintains tissue homeostasis. Interferons (IFNs) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are crucial for appropriate response to pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants in inflammatory response. The inflammasom is multiprotein complex, which initiates cleavage of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 into active forms. In addition, inflammasomes initiate pyroptotic cell death. In the present review, I summarize and analyze recent findings regarding the cross talk of IFNs and inflammasomes.

Inflammasomes and intestinal inflammation

The inflammasome is a cytosolic multi-protein innate immune rheostat, sensing a variety of endogenous and environmental stimuli, and regulating homeostasis or damage control. In the gastrointestinal tract, inflammasomes orchestrate immune tolerance to microbial and potentially food-related signals or drive the initiation of inflammatory responses to invading pathogens. When inadequately regulated, intestinal inflammasome activation leads to a perpetuated inflammatory response leading to immune pathology and tissue damage. In this review, we present the main features of the predominant types of inflammasomes participating in intestinal homeostasis and inflammation. We then discuss current controversies and open questions related to their functions and implications in disease, highlighting how pathological inflammasome over-activation or impaired function impact gut homeostasis, the microbiome ecosystem, and the propensity to develop gut-associated diseases. Collectively, understanding of the molecular basis of intestinal inflammasome signaling may be translated into clinical manipulation of this fundamental pathway as a potential immune modulatory therapeutic intervention.

Salmonella and the Inflammasome: Battle for Intracellular Dominance

Inflammasomes are macromolecular cytoplasmic complexes that act as signaling platforms for the activation of inflammatory caspases. Their activation triggers the processing and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, as well as the induction of a specialized form of inflammatory cell death termed pyroptosis. Here, we review the mechanisms of inflammasome activation triggered by the intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. We highlight the different inflammasome subfamilies utilized by macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and intestinal epithelial cells response to a Salmonella infection as well as the Salmonella ligands that trigger each inflammasome's formation. We also discuss the evasion strategies utilized by Salmonella to avoid inflammasome detection. Overall, inflammasomes play a key and multilayered role at distinct stages of host cell defense against Salmonella infection.

Molecular mechanisms and functions of pyroptosis, inflammatory caspases and inflammasomes in infectious diseases

Cell death is a fundamental biological phenomenon that is essential for the survival and development of an organism. Emerging evidence also indicates that cell death contributes to immune defense against infectious diseases. Pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory programmed cell death pathway activated by human and mouse caspase-1, human caspase-4 and caspase-5, or mouse caspase-11. These inflammatory caspases are used by the host to control bacterial, viral, fungal, or protozoan pathogens. Pyroptosis requires cleavage and activation of the pore-forming effector protein gasdermin D by inflammatory caspases. Physical rupture of the cell causes release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, alarmins and endogenous danger-associated molecular patterns, signifying the inflammatory potential of pyroptosis. Here, we describe the central role of inflammatory caspases and pyroptosis in mediating immunity to infection and clearance of pathogens.

Differential roles of caspase-1 and caspase-11 in infection and inflammation

Caspase-1, also known as interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-converting enzyme (ICE), regulates antimicrobial host defense, tissue repair, tumorigenesis, metabolism and membrane biogenesis. On activation within an inflammasome complex, caspase-1 induces pyroptosis and converts pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 into their biologically active forms. “ICE^−/−” or “Casp1^−/−” mice generated using 129 embryonic stem cells carry a 129-associated inactivating passenger mutation on the caspase-11 locus, essentially making them deficient in both caspase-1 and caspase-11. The overlapping and unique functions of caspase-1 and caspase-11 are difficult to unravel without additional genetic tools. Here, we generated caspase-1–deficient mouse (Casp1^Null) on the C57BL/6 J background that expressed caspase-11. Casp1^Null cells did not release IL-1β and IL-18 in response to NLRC4 activators Salmonella Typhimurium and flagellin, canonical or non-canonical NLRP3 activators LPS and ATP, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter rodentium and transfection of LPS, AIM2 activators Francisella novicida, mouse cytomegalovirus and DNA, and the infectious agents Listeria monocytogenes and Aspergillus fumigatus. We further demonstrated that caspase-1 and caspase-11 differentially contributed to the host defense against A. fumigatus infection and to endotoxemia.

Canonical and Non-Canonical Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome at the Crossroad between Immune Tolerance and Intestinal Inflammation

Several lines of evidence point out the relevance of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome as a pivotal player in regulating the integrity of intestinal homeostasis and shaping innate immune responses during bowel inflammation. Intensive research efforts are being made to achieve an integrated view about the protective/detrimental role of canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the maintenance of intestinal microenvironment integrity. Evidence is also emerging that the pharmacological modulation of NLRP3 inflammasome could represent a promising molecular target for the therapeutic management of inflammatory immune-mediated gut diseases. The present review has been intended to provide a critical appraisal of the available knowledge about the role of canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the dynamic interplay between microbiota, intestinal epithelium, and innate immune system, taken together as a whole integrated network regulating the maintenance/breakdown of intestinal homeostasis. Moreover, special attention has been paid to the pharmacological modulation of NLRP3 inflammasome, emphasizing the concept that this multiprotein complex could represent a suitable target for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Inflammasomes in the Gut Mucosal Homeostasis

Inflammasomes are critical checkpoints in inflammation. The activation of inflammasome can cause a series of inflammatory responses including maturation of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 and a specialized form of cell death called pyroptosis. Since its identification in the early 2000s, inflammasomes have been implicated to play multifaceted roles in varied pathological and physiological conditions, especially in the mucosal compartments including the gut. Maintaining gut mucosal homeostasis has always been a remarkable challenge for the host due to both the vast mucosal surface that is exposed to the outside and the enormous amount of local microbiota. To accomplish this challenge, the host mounts a constant dynamic low-grade inflammatory response (physiological inflammation) in coping with insults of microbes in the intestine. This book chapter aims to summarize the current knowledge of how inflammasomes contribute to gut mucosal homeostasis.

Piperine Suppresses Pyroptosis and Interleukin-1β Release upon ATP Triggering and Bacterial Infection

Piperine is a phytochemical present in black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn) and other related herbs, possessing a wide array of pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory effects. Previously, we demonstrated that piperine has therapeutic effects on bacterial sepsis in mice, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influences of piperine on pyroptosis in murine macrophages. The results showed that piperine dose-dependently inhibited ATP-induced pyroptosis, thereby suppressing interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) release in LPS-primed bone marrow-derived macrophages and J774A.1 cells. Accompanying this, ATP-induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation was greatly suppressed by piperine, whereas AMPK agonist metformin counteracted piperine’s inhibitory effects on pyroptosis. Moreover, piperine administration greatly reduced both peritoneal and serum IL-1β levels in the mouse model intraperitoneally infected with Escherichia coli, suggestive of suppressing systemic inflammation and pyroptosis. Our data indicated that piperine could protect macrophages from pyroptosis and reduced IL-1β and HMGB1 release by suppressing ATP-induced AMPK activation, suggesting that piperine may become a potential therapeutic agent against bacterial sepsis.

Caspase-11 Modulates Inflammation and Attenuates Toxoplasma gondii Pathogenesis

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that is the etiologic agent responsible for toxoplasmosis. Infection with T. gondii results in activation of nucleotide binding domain and leucine rich repeat containing receptors (NLRs). NLR activation leads to inflammasome formation, the activation of caspase-1, and the subsequent cleavage of IL-1β and IL-18. Recently, a noncanonical inflammasome has been characterized which functions through caspase-11 and appears to augment many biological functions previously considered to be dependent upon the canonical inflammasome. To better elucidate the function of this noncanonical inflammasome in toxoplasmosis, we utilized Asc (-/-) and Casp11 (-/-) mice and infected these animals with T. gondii. Our data indicates that caspase-11 modulates the innate immune response to T. gondii through a mechanism which is distinct from that currently described for the canonical inflammasome. Asc (-/-) mice demonstrated increased disease pathogenesis during the acute phase of T. gondii infection, whereas Casp11 (-/-) mice demonstrated significantly attenuated disease pathogenesis and reduced inflammation. This attenuated host response was associated with reduced local and systemic cytokine production, including diminished IL-1β. During the chronic phase of infection, caspase-11 deficiency resulted in increased neuroinflammation and tissue cyst burden in the brain. Together, our data suggest that caspase-11 functions to protect the host by enhancing inflammation during the early phase of infection in an effort to minimize disease pathogenesis during later stages of toxoplasmosis.

NLR-regulated pathways in cancer: opportunities and obstacles for therapeutic interventions

NLRs (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing receptors) are pattern recognition receptors associated with immunity and inflammation in response to endogenous and exogenous pathogen and damage associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs respectively). Dysregulated NLR function is associated with several diseases including cancers, metabolic diseases, autoimmune disorders and autoinflammatory syndromes. In the last decade, distinct cell and organ specific roles for NLRs have been identified however; their roles in cancer initiation, development and progression remain controversial. This review summarizes the emerging role of NLRs in cancer and their possible future as targets for cancer therapeutics.

Epithelial IL-18 Equilibrium Controls Barrier Function in Colitis

The intestinal mucosal barrier controlling the resident microbiome is dependent on a protective mucus layer generated by goblet cells, impairment of which is a hallmark of the inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis. Here, we show that IL-18 is critical in driving the pathologic breakdown of barrier integrity in a model of colitis. Deletion of Il18 or its receptor Il18r1 in intestinal epithelial cells (Δ/EC) conferred protection from colitis and mucosal damage in mice. In contrast, deletion of the IL-18 negative regulator Il18bp resulted in severe colitis associated with loss of mature goblet cells. Colitis and goblet cell loss were rescued in Il18bp(-/-);Il18r(Δ/EC) mice, demonstrating that colitis severity is controlled at the level of IL-18 signaling in intestinal epithelial cells. IL-18 inhibited goblet cell maturation by regulating the transcriptional program instructing goblet cell development. These results inform on the mechanism of goblet cell dysfunction that underlies the pathology of ulcerative colitis.

Regulation of inflammasome activation

Inflammasome biology is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing areas in immunology. Over the past 10 years, inflammasomes have been recognized for their roles in the host defense against invading pathogens and in the development of cancer, auto-inflammatory, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. Assembly of an inflammasome complex requires cytosolic sensing of pathogen-associated molecular patterns or danger-associated molecular patterns by a nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) or absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2)-like receptors (ALR). NLRs and ALRs engage caspase-1, in most cases requiring the adapter protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), to catalyze proteolytic cleavage of pro-interleukin-1β (pro-IL-1β) and pro-IL-18 and drive pyroptosis. Recent studies indicate that caspase-8, caspase-11, IL-1R-associated kinases (IRAK), and receptor-interacting protein (RIP) kinases contribute to inflammasome functions. In addition, post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination, deubiquitination, phosphorylation, and degradation control almost every aspect of inflammasome activities. Genetic studies indicate that mutations in NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, and AIM2 are linked with the development of auto-inflammatory diseases, enterocolitis, and cancer. Overall, these findings transform our understanding of the basic biology and clinical relevance of inflammasomes. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest development of inflammasome research and discuss how inflammasome activities govern health and disease.

Garlic oil inhibits dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

AIMS

Garlic oil (GO) is used for centuries in folk medicine as a therapy for many diseases including inflammatory disorders. Recently, it has exhibited potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Consequently, we evaluated the possible protective effect of GO in a rat model of colitis, induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

MAIN METHODS

Colitis induced by allowing rats a free access to drinking water containing 5% DSS for 7 days, from day 1 to day 7. GO was administered orally in doses of 25, 50 and 100mg/kg/day. Mesalazine used as a standard medication in a dose of 15 mg/kg/day. All animals fasted for 2h, 1h before and 1h after giving the treatment, which introduced daily for 7 days, from day 1 to day 7, at 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Animal body, and colonic weights, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, colonic reduced-glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-10 levels, macroscopic and microscopic changes of colonic tissues were evaluated.

KEY FINDINGS

GO treatment significantly suppressed the elevated colonic weight, MPO activity, MDA, TNF-α and IL-1β levels. However, it potentiated the decrease body weight, colonic SOD activity, GSH and IL-10 levels. Moreover, it ameliorated the marked macroscopic and microscopic changes of colonic mucosa in a dose dependent manner.

SIGNIFICANCE

Garlic oil inhibits DSS-induced colitis in rats may be through its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, GO could be a promising protective agent recommended for UC patients.

Apigenin supplementation protects the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced murine experimental colitis by inhibiting canonical and non-canonical inflammasome signaling pathways

The present study was designed to elucidate the protective effects of dietary apigenin (API) enrichment in a chronic colitis model induced by DSS in mice. Inflammatory mediators and the possible role of canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways in the beneficial effects of API under chronic inflammatory conditions were also explored. Six-week-old mice were randomized in four dietary groups: sham and control groups received standard diet (SD), and other two groups were fed with API at 0.1%. After 30days, all groups except sham received 3% DSS in drinking water for 5days followed by a regime of 21days of water. Our results revealed that dietary API supplementation decreased the macroscopic and microscopic damage signs of colitis; also, it was capable to down-regulate mPGES, COX-2 and iNOS enzyme colonic expressions and to decrease serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-3) levels. Similarly, API diet reduced IL-1β and TNF-α proinflammatory cytokine secretions in primary LPS-stimulated splenocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that API anti-inflammatory activity was related with an inhibition of both canonical and non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome pathways by decreasing proinflammatory IL-1β and IL-18 cytokine levels as a consequence of regulation of cleaved caspase-1 and caspase-11 enzymes. We conclude that API supplement might provide a basis for developing a new dietary strategy for the prevention of chronic ulcerative colitis.

A critical role for cellular inhibitor of protein 2 (cIAP2) in colitis-associated colorectal cancer and intestinal homeostasis mediated by the inflammasome and survival pathways

Cellular inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (cIAPs) are critical arbiters of cell death and key mediators of inflammation and innate immunity. cIAP2 is frequently overexpressed in colorectal cancer and in regenerating crypts of ulcerative colitis patients. However, its corresponding functions in intestinal homeostasis and underlying mechanisms in disease pathogenesis are poorly understood. We found that mice deficient in cIAP2 exhibited reduced colitis-associated colorectal cancer tumor burden but, surprisingly, enhanced susceptibility to acute and chronic colitis. The exacerbated colitis phenotype of cIAP2-deficient mice was mediated by increased cell death and impaired activation of the regenerative inflammasome-interleukin-18 (IL-18) pathway required for tissue repair following injury. Accordingly, administration of recombinant IL-18 or pharmacological inhibition of caspases or the kinase RIPK1 protected cIAP2-deficient mice from colitis and restored intestinal epithelial barrier architecture. Thus, cIAP2 orchestrates intestinal homeostasis by exerting a dual function in suppressing cell death and promoting intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and crypt regeneration.

Converging roles of caspases in inflammasome activation, cell death and innate immunity

Inflammatory and apoptotic caspases are central players in inflammation and apoptosis, respectively. However, recent studies have revealed that these caspases have functions beyond their established roles. In addition to mediating cleavage of the inflammasome-associated cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, inflammatory caspases modulate distinct forms of programmed cell death and coordinate cell-autonomous immunity and other fundamental cellular processes. Certain apoptotic caspases assemble structurally diverse and dynamic complexes that direct inflammasome and interferon responses to fine-tune inflammation. In this Review, we discuss the expanding and interconnected roles of caspases that highlight new aspects of this family of cysteine proteases in innate immunity.

Intestinal macrophages arising from CCR2(+) monocytes control pathogen infection by activating innate lymphoid cells

Monocytes play a crucial role in antimicrobial host defence, but the mechanisms by which they protect the host during intestinal infection remains poorly understood. Here we show that depletion of CCR2⁺ monocytes results in impaired clearance of the intestinal pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. After infection, the de novo recruited CCR2⁺ monocytes give rise to CD11c⁺CD11b⁺F4/80⁺CD103⁻ intestinal macrophages (MPs) within the lamina propria. Unlike resident intestinal MPs, de novo differentiated MPs are phenotypically pro-inflammatory and produce robust amounts of IL-1β (interleukin-1β) through the non-canonical caspase-11 inflammasome. Intestinal MPs from infected mice elicit the activation of RORγt⁺ group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) in an IL-1β-dependent manner. Deletion of IL-1β in blood monocytes blunts the production of IL-22 by ILC3 and increases the susceptibility to infection. Collectively, these studies highlight a critical role of de novo differentiated monocyte-derived intestinal MPs in ILC3-mediated host defence against intestinal infection.

Monocytes are important for antimicrobial host defence in the intestine but the mechanism behind their protective function is not fully understood. Seo et al. show that intestinal macrophages derived from CCR2⁺ monocytes support clearance of pathogenic Citrobacter rodentium through activation of group 3 innate lymphoid cells.

The Inflammatory Caspases-1 and -11 Mediate the Pathogenesis of Dermatitis in Sharpin-Deficient Mice

Chronic proliferative dermatitis in mice (cpdm) is a spontaneous multiorgan inflammatory disorder with pathological hallmarks similar to atopic dermatitis and psoriasis in humans. Cpdm mice lack expression of SHANK-associated RH domain-interacting protein, an adaptor of the linear ubiquitin assembly complex, which acts in the NF-κB pathway to promote inflammation and protect from apoptosis and necroptosis. Although skin inflammation in cpdm mice is driven by TNF- and RIPK1-induced cell death, the contribution of initiating innate immunity sensors and additional inflammatory pathways remains poorly characterized. In this article, we show that inflammasome signaling, including the expression and activation of the inflammatory caspase-1 and -11 and IL-1 family cytokines, was highly upregulated in the skin of cpdm mice prior to overt disease onset. Genetic ablation of caspase-1 and -11 from cpdm mice significantly reduced skin inflammation and delayed disease onset, whereas systemic immunological disease persisted. Loss of Nlrp3 also attenuated skin disease, albeit more variably. Strikingly, induction of apoptosis and necroptosis effectors was sharply decreased in the absence of caspase-1 and -11. These results position the inflammasome as an important initiating signal in skin disease pathogenesis and provide novel insights about inflammasome and cell death effector cross-talk in the context of inflammatory diseases.

Novel perspectives on non-canonical inflammasome activation

Inflammasomes are cytosolic multi-protein complexes that regulate the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18, and induce pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death. The NLRP3 inflammasome is the most well-characterized member of this family and functions by sensing intracellular pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns and activating caspase-1, which processes the biologically inactive IL-1β and IL-18 precursors into active cytokines. Recent studies have identified an alternative mechanism of inflammasome activation, termed the non-canonical inflammasome, which is triggered by cytosolic sensing of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from bacteria that have escaped phagolysosomes. This pathway is independent of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the well-known extracellular receptor for LPS, but instead depends on the inflammatory protease, caspase-11. Although our understanding of caspase-11 activation is still in its infancy, it appears to be an essential mediator of septic shock and attenuates intestinal inflammation. In this review, we bring together the latest data on the roles of caspase-11 and the mechanisms underlying caspase-11-mediated activation of the non-canonical inflammasome, and consider the implications of this pathway on TLR4-independent immune responses to LPS.

Inflammasomes of the intestinal epithelium

While the functional importance of inflammasomes in blood-derived cell types is well established, it remains poorly understood how inflammasomes in nonhematopoietic cells contribute to mucosal immunity. Recent studies have revealed functional roles of inflammasomes - particularly NAIP/NLRC4, NLRP6, and noncanonical caspase-4 (caspase-11) - within epithelial cells of the gut in mucosal immune defense, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. Here, we review and discuss these findings in the broader context of tissue compartment-specific mucosal immunity. We propose several models whereby activities of the intestinal epithelial inflammasomes converge on mechanisms to remove compromised epithelial cells, maintain host-microbiota mutualism, and communicate with immune cells of the underlying lamina propria.

Altered expression of caspases-4 and -5 during inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer: Diagnostic and therapeutic potential

Caspases are a group of proteolytic enzymes involved in the co-ordination of cellular processes, including cellular homeostasis, inflammation and apoptosis. Altered activity of caspases, particularly caspase-1, has been implicated in the development of intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the involvement of two related inflammatory caspase members, caspases-4 and -5, during intestinal homeostasis and disease has not yet been established. This study demonstrates that caspases-4 and -5 are involved in IBD-associated intestinal inflammation. Furthermore, we found a clear correlation between stromal caspase-4 and -5 expression levels, inflammation and disease activity in ulcerative colitis patients. Deregulated intestinal inflammation in IBD patients is associated with an increased risk of developing CRC. We found robust expression of caspases-4 and -5 within intestinal epithelial cells, exclusively within neoplastic tissue, of colorectal tumours. An examination of adjacent normal, inflamed and tumour tissue from patients with colitis-associated CRC confirmed that stromal expression of caspases-4 and -5 is increased in inflamed and dysplastic tissue, while epithelial expression is restricted to neoplastic tissue. In addition to identifying caspases-4 and -5 as potential targets for limiting intestinal inflammation, this study has identified epithelial-expressed caspases-4 and -5 as biomarkers with diagnostic and therapeutic potential in CRC.

Protective and detrimental roles of inflammasomes in disease

Over recent years, inflammasomes have emerged as key regulators of immune and inflammatory responses. They induce programmed cell death and direct the release of danger signals and the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. The concerted actions of inflammasomes are of utmost importance for responding adequately to harmful environmental agents and infections. However, deregulated inflammasome signaling is increasingly linked to a diversity of human pathologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rare, hereditary periodic fever syndromes. In this review, we discuss recent insight in the protective and detrimental roles of inflammasomes in selected infectious, autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and cover clinically approved therapies that interfere with inflammasome signaling. These findings highlight the importance of fine-balancing the Ying and Yang activities of inflammasomes for sustained homeostasis and suggest that further understanding of inflammasome mechanisms may offer new cures for human diseases.