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Zhu C, Xu S, Jiang R, Yu Y, Bian J, Zou Z. The gasdermin family: emerging therapeutic targets in diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:87. [PMID: 38584157 PMCID: PMC10999458 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01801-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The gasdermin (GSDM) family has garnered significant attention for its pivotal role in immunity and disease as a key player in pyroptosis. This recently characterized class of pore-forming effector proteins is pivotal in orchestrating processes such as membrane permeabilization, pyroptosis, and the follow-up inflammatory response, which are crucial self-defense mechanisms against irritants and infections. GSDMs have been implicated in a range of diseases including, but not limited to, sepsis, viral infections, and cancer, either through involvement in pyroptosis or independently of this process. The regulation of GSDM-mediated pyroptosis is gaining recognition as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of various diseases. Current strategies for inhibiting GSDMD primarily involve binding to GSDMD, blocking GSDMD cleavage or inhibiting GSDMD-N-terminal (NT) oligomerization, albeit with some off-target effects. In this review, we delve into the cutting-edge understanding of the interplay between GSDMs and pyroptosis, elucidate the activation mechanisms of GSDMs, explore their associations with a range of diseases, and discuss recent advancements and potential strategies for developing GSDMD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Zhu
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Sheng Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Immunity & Inflammation, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Ruoyu Jiang
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yizhi Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Immunity & Inflammation, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Jinjun Bian
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Zui Zou
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Mohamed AO, Abd-Elghaffar SK, Mousa RA, Kamel AA. Aloe vera gel confers therapeutic effect by reducing pyroptosis in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer rat model: Role of NLRP3/GSDMD signaling pathway. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:401. [PMID: 38457071 PMCID: PMC10923956 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09329-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric ulcer (GU) is a common gastrointestinal tract illness. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and healing characteristics. This research sought to explore the therapeutic impact of Aloe vera gel on ethanol-provoked GU in rats and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS An ethanol-induced GU rat model was constructed using forty male Wistar rats distributed at random into four groups: control, ulcer, pantoprazole, and Aloe vera. Gross evaluation of the stomach, ulcer index (UI), inhibition index, and gastric pH estimation were analyzed. Gastric malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined using the spectrophotometric method, and serum gastrin level was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gastric nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain PYD containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and gasdermin D (GSDMD) mRNA expression levels were estimated by quantitative real-time PCR. Finally, the histopathological examination of the glandular part of stomach tissue was done. RESULTS The ulcer group revealed a significant increase in MDA, gastrin, NLRP3, and GSDMD and a decrease in gastric pH and GSH compared to the control group. Gross investigations of the ulcer group revealed a hemorrhagic lesion in the stomach and an increase in UI. Also, histopathological results for this group showed severe epithelial loss, haemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and blood vessel congestion. However, Aloe vera treatment improved the gross, biochemical, molecular, and histopathological alterations induced by ethanol when compared to the ulcer group. CONCLUSIONS Aloe vera exerted antiulcer activities through modulation of oxidant/antioxidant status, anti-secretory properties, and mitigation of pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amany O Mohamed
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Sary Kh Abd-Elghaffar
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Badr University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Rehab A Mousa
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Amira A Kamel
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
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Lin Z, Chen Q, Ruan HB. To die or not to die: Gasdermins in intestinal health and disease. Semin Immunol 2024; 71:101865. [PMID: 38232665 PMCID: PMC10872225 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2024.101865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Intestinal homeostasis is achieved by the balance among intestinal epithelium, immune cells, and gut microbiota. Gasdermins (GSDMs), a family of membrane pore forming proteins, can trigger rapid inflammatory cell death in the gut, mainly pyroptosis and NETosis. Importantly, there is increasing literature on the non-cell lytic roles of GSDMs in intestinal homeostasis and disease. While GSDMA is low and PJVK is not expressed in the gut, high GSDMB and GSDMC expression is found almost restrictively in intestinal epithelial cells. Conversely, GSDMD and GSDME show more ubiquitous expression among various cell types in the gut. The N-terminal region of GSDMs can be liberated for pore formation by an array of proteases in response to pathogen- and danger-associated signals, but it is not fully understood what cell type-specific mechanisms activate intestinal GSDMs. The host relies on GSDMs for pathogen defense, tissue tolerance, and cancerous cell death; however, pro-inflammatory milieu caused by pyroptosis and excessive cytokine release may favor the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. Therefore, a thorough understanding of spatiotemporal mechanisms that control gasdermin expression, activation, and function is essential for the development of future therapeutics for intestinal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Model Animal Research Center, National Resource Center for Mutant Mice of China, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Qianyue Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Model Animal Research Center, National Resource Center for Mutant Mice of China, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hai-Bin Ruan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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Sun HX, Zhu Y. Progress on Regulation of NLRP3 Inflammasome by Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. Chin J Integr Med 2023:10.1007/s11655-023-3551-1. [PMID: 37148482 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, non-specific intestinal disease that not only affects the quality of life of patients and their families but also increases the risk of colorectal cancer. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an important component of inflammatory response system, and its activation induces an inflammatory cascade response that is involved in the development and progression of UC by releasing inflammatory cytokines, damaging intestinal epithelial cells, and disrupting the intestinal mucosal barrier. Chinese medicine (CM) plays a vital role in the prevention and treatment of UC and is able to regulate NLRP3 inflammasome. Many experimental studies on the regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome mediated by CM have been carried out, demonstrating that CM formulae with main effects of clearing heat, detoxifying toxicity, drying dampness, and activating blood circulation. Flavonoids and phenylpropanoids can effectively regulate NLRP3 inflammasome. Other active components of CM can interfere with the process of NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation, leading to a reduction in inflammation and UC symptoms. However, the reports are relatively scattered and lack systematic reviews. This paper reviews the latest findings regarding the NLRP3 inflammasome activation-related pathways associated with UC and the potential of CM in treating UC through modulation of NLRP3 inflammasome. The purpose of this review is to explore the possible pathological mechanisms of UC and suggest new directions for development of therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Xian Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410007, China
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410007, China.
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Eeckhout E, Hamerlinck L, Jonckheere V, Van Damme P, van Loo G, Wullaert A. Gasdermin D independent canonical inflammasome responses cooperate with caspase-8 to establish host defense against gastrointestinal Citrobacter rodentium infection. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:282. [PMID: 37080966 PMCID: PMC10119323 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05801-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Citrobacter rodentium is an enteropathogen that causes intestinal inflammatory responses in mice reminiscent of the pathology provoked by enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infections in humans. C. rodentium expresses various virulence factors that target specific signaling proteins involved in executing apoptotic, necroptotic and pyroptotic cell death, suggesting that each of these distinct cell death modes performs essential host defense functions that the pathogen aims to disturb. However, the relative contributions of apoptosis, necroptosis and pyroptosis in protecting the host against C. rodentium have not been elucidated. Here we used mice with single or combined deficiencies in essential signaling proteins controlling apoptotic, necroptotic or pyroptotic cell death to reveal the roles of these cell death modes in host defense against C. rodentium. Gastrointestinal C. rodentium infections in mice lacking GSDMD and/or MLKL showed that both pyroptosis and necroptosis were dispensable for pathogen clearance. In contrast, while RIPK3-deficient mice showed normal C. rodentium clearance, mice with combined caspase-8 and RIPK3 deficiencies failed to clear intestinal pathogen loads. Although this demonstrated a crucial role for caspase-8 signaling in establishing intestinal host defense, Casp8-/-Ripk3-/- mice remained capable of preventing systemic pathogen persistence. This systemic host defense relied on inflammasome signaling, as Casp8-/-Ripk3-/- mice with combined caspase-1 and -11 deletion succumbed to C. rodentium infection. Interestingly, although it is known that C. rodentium can activate the non-canonical caspase-11 inflammasome, selectively disabling canonical inflammasome signaling by single caspase-1 deletion sufficed to render Casp8-/-Ripk3-/- mice vulnerable to C. rodentium-induced lethality. Moreover, Casp8-/-Ripk3-/- mice lacking GSDMD survived a C. rodentium infection, suggesting that pyroptosis was not crucial for the protective functions of canonical inflammasomes in these mice. Taken together, our mouse genetic experiments revealed an essential cooperation between caspase-8 signaling and GSDMD-independent canonical inflammasome signaling to establish intestinal and systemic host defense against gastrointestinal C. rodentium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elien Eeckhout
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisa Hamerlinck
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Veronique Jonckheere
- iRIP Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Petra Van Damme
- iRIP Unit, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert van Loo
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andy Wullaert
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Proteinscience, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signalling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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