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Colarusso C, Falanga A, Di Caprio S, Terlizzi M, Pinto A, Maiolino P, Sorrentino R. The activation of the AIM2 inflammasome after cigarette smoke exposure leads to an immunosuppressive lung microenvironment. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111832. [PMID: 38460301 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111832] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Cigarette smoke is widely known as contributing to chronic inflammation underlying several airway diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. In our previous studies we found that the lung of both COPD and cancer patients were characterized by the presence and activation of the AIM2 inflammasome. Here, we wanted to investigate the upstream step during the establishment of chronic lung inflammation after cigarette smoke exposure. We took advantage of a mouse model of smoking exposure and public scRNAseq data. We found that AIM2 mRNA was expressed in both alveolar type II, B cells, T regulatory (Treg) and macrophages detected in the lung of non-smokers (n = 4) and smokers (n = 3). The activation of AIM2 in smoking mice by using PolydA:dT did not alter cigarette-smoke-induced alveoli enlargement and mucus production, rather it induced higher recruitment of immunosuppressive cells, such as non-active dendritic cells (DCs), Arginase I+ macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and Tregs. In addition, the inflammatory environment after AIM2 activation in smoking mice was characterized by higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-33, TNFα, LDH, IL-10 and TGFβ. This scenario was not altered after the pharmacological inhibition of both caspase-1 and STING pathway. In conclusion, these data suggest that chronic inflammation after cigarette smoke exposure is associated with AIM2 activation, which could lead towards cigarette smoke-associated lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Colarusso
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano 804084, Italy
| | - Anna Falanga
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano 804084, Italy; Program in Drug Discovery and Development, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Simone Di Caprio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano 804084, Italy; Program in Drug Discovery and Development, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Michela Terlizzi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano 804084, Italy
| | - Aldo Pinto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano 804084, Italy
| | - Piera Maiolino
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, "Fondazione Pascale", National Institute of Cancer, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Colarusso C, Terlizzi M, Falanga A, Stathopoulos G, De Lucia L, Hansbro PM, Pinto A, Sorrentino R. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) positive profile identifies a poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 124:110990. [PMID: 37857119 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110990] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
The absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome has been demonstrated as involved in tumor growth. In this study we used human samples of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, taking advantage of a mouse model of smoking cessation. Human samples were stratified according to the smoking status, high-risk factor for this type of tumor. Both public transcriptomic and human samples obtained by a clinical trial proved that AIM2 was upregulated either in terms of mRNA or protein, respectively, in the tumor mass according to the TNM stage, but it did not relate to the smoking status, age and sex. The upregulation of AIM2 was correlated to an immunosuppressive environment according to resting/non-active dendritic cells (DCs) and T regulatory cells, as demonstrated in both human samples and by means of an experimental model of smoking mice. Computational analysis showed that AIM2 upregulation was correlated to both an inflammasome profile, responsible for the poor prognosis of non-smoker and smoker LUAD patients, and to a non-inflammasome profile for former smoker. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that AIM2 is involved in lung carcinogenesis either in a canonical and non-canonical manner due to an immunosuppressive microenvironment associated to a dismal prognosis of LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna Falanga
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Georgious Stathopoulos
- Laboratory for Molecular Respiratory Carcinogenesis, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | | | - Phillip M Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney (UTS), School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Aldo Pinto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Italy
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Sampath M, Bade G, Guleria R, Mohan A, Sen S, Dey D, Talwar A. Phenotypic Profiling of Immune Cells and Their Mediators in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2166. [PMID: 37626663 PMCID: PMC10452296 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disorder and has been proposed to have an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors. METHODS This study was conducted on 41 participants {18 COPD patients (smokers, COPD S (n = 9); reformed smokers, COPD RS (n = 9)) and 23 controls (non-smokers, CNS (n = 14); smokers, CS (n = 9))}. Flow cytometry was used to identify circulatory immune cells and correlated with serum cytokines. RESULTS On comparison, significantly lower frequency of CD3+ T cells were observed in COPD S as compared to CNS (p < 0.01) and CS (p < 0.01); CD4+ T cells were lower in COPD S (p < 0.05), COPD RS (p < 0.05) and CNS (p < 0.01) as compared to CS. CD8+ T cells were elevated in COPD S as compared to CS (p < 0.05). Lower frequency of cDCs were observed in COPD S as compared to CS (p < 0.05) and COPD RS as compared to CNS (p < 0.01) and CS (p < 0.01). Lower frequency of pDCs were observed in COPD RS as compared to COPD S (p < 0.05), CNS (p < 0.05) and CS (p < 0.01). Lower frequency of Tregs was observed in COPD S as compared to CNS (p < 0.05) and CS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Characteristic changes observed indicate a significant impact of immune cells in the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghashree Sampath
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (M.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Geetanjali Bade
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (M.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Randeep Guleria
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (R.G.); (A.M.)
| | - Anant Mohan
- Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (R.G.); (A.M.)
| | - Sudip Sen
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (S.S.); (D.D.)
| | - Devanjan Dey
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (S.S.); (D.D.)
| | - Anjana Talwar
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (M.S.); (G.B.)
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Colarusso C, Terlizzi M, Maglio A, Molino A, Candia C, Vitale C, Hansbro PM, Vatrella A, Pinto A, Sorrentino R. Activation of the AIM2 Receptor in Circulating Cells of Post-COVID-19 Patients With Signs of Lung Fibrosis Is Associated With the Release of IL-1α, IFN-α and TGF-β. Front Immunol 2022; 13:934264. [PMID: 35844548 PMCID: PMC9277546 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.934264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for COVID-19, has caused a global pandemic. Observational studies revealed a condition, herein called as Long-COVID syndrome (PC), that affects both moderately and severely infected patients, reducing quality-of-life. The mechanism/s underlying the onset of fibrotic-like changes in PC are still not well defined. The goal of this study was to understand the involvement of the Absent in melanoma-2 (AIM2) inflammasome in PC-associated lung fibrosis-like changes revealed by chest CT scans. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from PC patients who did not develop signs of lung fibrosis were not responsive to AIM2 activation by Poly dA:dT. In sharp contrast, PBMCs from PC patients with signs of lung fibrosis were highly responsive to AIM2 activation, which induced the release of IL-1α, IFN-α and TGF-β. The recognition of Poly dA:dT was not due to the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase, a stimulator of interferon response (cGAS-STING) pathways, implying a role for AIM2 in PC conditions. The release of IFN-α was caspase-1- and caspase-4-dependent when AIM2 was triggered. Instead, the release of pro-inflammatory IL-1α and pro-fibrogenic TGF-β were inflammasome independent because the inhibition of caspase-1 and caspase-4 did not alter the levels of the two cytokines. Moreover, the responsiveness of AIM2 correlated with higher expression of the receptor in circulating CD14+ cells in PBMCs from patients with signs of lung fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antonio Molino
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Respiratory Division, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudio Candia
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Respiratory Division, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carolina Vitale
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Philip M Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Aldo Pinto
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
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Caspase-11 and AIM2 inflammasome are involved in smoking-induced COPD and lung adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget 2021; 12:1057-1071. [PMID: 34084280 PMCID: PMC8169065 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor for COPD and lung cancer establishment. Epidemiologically, COPD patients are 6.35 times more likely to develop lung cancer. To mimic COPD, we exposed mice to nose-only cigarette smoke and used human samples of lung adenocarcinoma patients according to the smoking and COPD status. Smoking C57Bl/6N mice had higher enlargement of alveoli, deposition of collagen and mucus production, associated to the release of IL-1-like cytokines, such as IL-1α and IL-1β at early time points and IL-18 at later time points. AIM2 expression was higher in lung recruited dendritic cells and macrophages in smoking mice, associated to the activation of caspase-11, rather than caspase-1. In support,129Sv mice, which are dysfunctional for caspase-11, had lower collagen deposition and mucus production, associated to lower release of IL-1-like and fibrotic TGFβ. Interestingly, higher expression of AIM2 in non-cancerous tissue of smoking COPD adenocarcinoma patients was correlated to a higher hazard ratio of poor survival rate than in patients who presented lower levels of AIM2. We found that AIM2 inflammasome is at the crossroad between COPD and lung cancer in that its higher presence is correlated to lower survival rate of smoking COPD adenocarcinoma patients.
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Tran HB, Hamon R, Jersmann H, Ween MP, Asare P, Haberberger R, Pant H, Hodge SJ. AIM2 nuclear exit and inflammasome activation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and response to cigarette smoke. JOURNAL OF INFLAMMATION-LONDON 2021; 18:19. [PMID: 34022905 PMCID: PMC8141226 DOI: 10.1186/s12950-021-00286-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The role inflammasomes play in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. We hypothesised that the AIM2 inflammasome is activated in the airways of COPD patients, and in response to cigarette smoke. Methods Lung tissue, bronchoscopy-derived alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells from COPD patients and healthy donors; lungs from cigarette smoke-exposed mice; and cigarette smoke extract-stimulated alveolar macrophages from healthy controls and HBEC30KT cell line were investigated. AIM2 inflammasome activation was assessed by multi-fluorescence quantitative confocal microscopy of speck foci positive for AIM2, inflammasome component ASC and cleaved IL-1β. Subcellular AIM2 localization was assessed by confocal microscopy, and immunoblot of fractionated cell lysates. Nuclear localization was supported by in-silico analysis of nuclear localization predicted scores of peptide sequences. Nuclear and cytoplasmic AIM2 was demonstrated by immunoblot in both cellular fractions from HBEC30KT cells. Results Increased cytoplasmic AIM2 speck foci, colocalized with cleaved IL-1β, were demonstrated in COPD lungs (n = 9) vs. control (n = 5), showing significant positive correlations with GOLD stages. AIM2 nuclear-to-cytoplasmic redistribution was demonstrated in bronchiolar epithelium in cigarette-exposed mice and in HBEC30KT cells post 24 h stimulation with 5% cigarette smoke extract. Alveolar macrophages from 8 healthy non-smokers responded to cigarette smoke extract with an > 8-fold increase (p < 0.05) of cytoplasmic AIM2 and > 6-fold increase (p < 0.01) of colocalized cleaved IL-1β speck foci, which were also localized with ASC. Conclusion The AIM2 inflammasome is activated in the airway of COPD patients, and in response to cigarette smoke exposure, associated with a nuclear to cytoplasmic shift in the distribution of AIM2. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12950-021-00286-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai B Tran
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.,School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Rhys Hamon
- School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.,Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Hubertus Jersmann
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.,School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Miranda P Ween
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.,School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Patrick Asare
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.,School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Rainer Haberberger
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Harshita Pant
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Sandra J Hodge
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia. .,School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.
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Wang Y, Gao X, Li Y, Wang X, Li Y, Zhang S, Liu H, Guo H, Lu W, Sun D. Pulmonary surfactant-associated protein B regulates prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 and inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:1303-1311. [PMID: 33729612 DOI: 10.1113/ep089244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? It is reported that polymorphism of the gene for pulmonary surfactant-associated protein B (SFTPB) is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): what are the function and mechanism of action of SFTPB in COPD? What is the main finding and its importance? Under stimulation of the risk factors of COPD, SFTPB expression is decreased, which may be involved in the formation of COPD. The progress of COPD induces an inflammatory response and reduces SFTPB expression. Levels of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (PTGS2) and inflammatory responses are changed by SFTPB, which indicates that SFTPB promotes the progression of COPD by PTGS2 and inflammation. ABSTRACT Pulmonary surfactant-associated protein B (SFTPB) is a critical protein for lung homeostasis, and polymorphism of its gene is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, few studies have so far confirmed the functional involvement of SFTPB in COPD. Serum SFTPB and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured in 54 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD and 29 healthy controls. A549 cells were induced using 10% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and treated with dexamethasone to investigate the effect of inflammation on SFTPB expression, and the effect of SFTPB overexpression and silencing on inflammatory cytokines was measured using real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SFTPB expression was assessed in mouse lung tissues using immunofluorescence. Serum levels of SFTPB were significantly lower in COPD patients than in controls (P = 0.009). Conversely, levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase-2 (PTGS2) were increased in COPD patients (IL-6: P = 0.006; PTGS2: P = 0.043). After CSE treatment, SFTPB mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased compared to controls (mRNA: P = 0.002; protein: P = 0.011), while IL-6, IL-8 and PTGS2 were elevated. Dexamethasone treatment increased SFTPB levels. Following overexpression of SFTPB in A549 cells, mRNA and protein levels of IL-6, IL-8 and PTGS2 were significantly reduced, while gene silencing induced the opposite effect. SFTPB levels were significantly reduced in the lung tissue of a mouse model of COPD compared to controls. Reduced SFTPB levels may induce PTGS2 and inflammatory responses in COPD and SFTPB could be a key protein for evaluation of COPD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Graduate School, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Xiaoyu Gao
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sainan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Graduate School, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Hongyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Graduate School, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Hui Guo
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Graduate School, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Wenju Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dejun Sun
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission for the Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Graduate School, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China
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DROSHA-Dependent miRNA and AIM2 Inflammasome Activation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051668. [PMID: 32121297 PMCID: PMC7084700 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease. Chronic lung inflammation is linked to the pathogenesis of IPF. DROSHA, a class 2 ribonuclease III enzyme, has an important role in the biogenesis of microRNA (miRNA). The function of miRNAs has been identified in the regulation of the target gene or protein related to inflammatory responses via degradation of mRNA or inhibition of translation. The absent-in-melanoma-2 (AIM2) inflammasome is critical for inflammatory responses against cytosolic double stranded DNA (dsDNA) from pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and self-DNA from danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). The AIM2 inflammasome senses double strand DNA (dsDNA) and interacts with the adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), which recruits pro-caspase-1 and regulates the maturation and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. A recent study showed that inflammasome activation contributes to lung inflammation and fibrogenesis during IPF. In the current review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the DROSHA-miRNA-AIM2 inflammasome axis in the pathogenesis of IPF.
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