Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys) contributes to glomerular injury by activating NLRP3 inflammasomes in response to increased oxidative stress. Results: Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) aggregated with NLRP3 inflammasomes, and blocking TXNIP prevented inflammasome activation during hHcys. Conclusion: TXNIP uniquely links changes in oxidative stress to hHcys-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Significance: Glomerular injury related to hHcys can be prevented by TXNIP inhibition.
Inflammasome, an intracellular inflammatory machinery, has been reported to be involved in a variety of chronic degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, autoinflammatory diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. The present study hypothesized that the formation and activation of inflammasomes associated with apoptosis associated speck-like protein (ASC) are an important initiating mechanism resulting in obesity-associated podocyte injury and consequent glomerular sclerosis. To test this hypothesis, Asc gene knockout (Asc−/−), wild type (Asc+/+) and intrarenal Asc shRNA-transfected wild type (Asc shRNA) mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) or normal diet (ND) for 12 weeks to produce obesity and associated glomerular injury. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that renal tissue Asc expression was lacking in Asc−/− mice or substantially reduced in Asc shRNA transfected mice compared to Asc+/+ mice. Confocal microscopic and co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the HFD enhanced the formation of inflammasome associated with Asc in podocytes as shown by colocalization of Asc with Nod-like receptor protein 3 (Nalp3). This inflammasome complex aggregation was not observed in Asc−/− and local Asc shRNA-transfected mice. The caspase-1 activity, IL-1β production and glomerular damage index (GDI), were also significantly attenuated in Asc−/− and Asc shRNA-transfected mice fed the HFD. This decreased GDI in Asc−/− and Asc shRNA transfected mice on the HFD was accompanied by attenuated proteinuria, albuminuria, foot process effacement of podocytes and loss of podocyte slit diaphragm molecules. In conclusion, activation and formation of inflammasomes in podocytes are importantly implicated in the development of obesity-associated glomerular injury.
Hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys) is an important pathogenic factor contributing to the progression of end-stage renal disease. Recent studies have demonstrated the implication of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the development of podocyte injury and glomerular sclerosis during hHcys. However, it remains unknown which reactive oxygen species (ROS) are responsible for this activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and how such action of ROS is controlled. The present study tested the contribution of common endogenous ROS including superoxide (O2•−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (•OH) to the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in mouse podocytes and glomeruli. In vitro, confocal microscopy and size exclusion chromatography demonstrated that dismutation of O2•− by 4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPOL) and decomposition of H2O2 by catalase prevented Hcys-induced aggregation of NLRP3 inflammasome proteins and inhibited Hcys-induced caspase-1 activation and IL-1β production in mouse podocytes. However, •OH scavenger tetramethylthiourea (TMTU) had no significant effect on either Hcys-induced NLRP3 inflammasome formation or activation. In vivo, scavenging of O2•− by TEMPOL and removal of H2O2 by catalase substantially inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome formation and activation in glomeruli of hHcys mice as shown by reduced colocalization of NLRP3 with ASC or caspase-1 and inhibition of caspase-1 activation and IL-1β production. Furthermore, TEMPOL and catalase significantly attenuated hHcys-induced glomerular injury. In conclusion, endogenously produced O2•− and H2O2 primarily contribute to NLRP3 inflammasome formation and activation in mouse glomeruli resulting in glomerular injury or consequent sclerosis during hHcys.
The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been implicated in podocyte injury and glomerular sclerosis during hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys). However, it remains unclear whether the NLRP3 inflammasome can be a therapeutic target for treatment of hHcys-induced kidney injury. Given that DHA metabolites-resolvins have potent anti-inflammatory effects, the present study tested whether the prototype, resolvin D1 (RvD1), and 17S-hydroxy DHA (17S-HDHA), an intermediate product, abrogate hHcys-induced podocyte injury by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome. In vitro, confocal microscopy demonstrated that 17S-HDHA (100 nM) and RvD1 (60 nM) prevented Hcys-induced formation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, as shown by reduced colocalization of NLRP3 with apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) or caspase-1. Both DHA metabolites inhibited Hcys-induced caspase-1 activation and interleukin-1β production. However, DHA had no significant effect on these Hcys-induced changes in podocytes. In vivo, DHA lipoxygenase metabolites substantially inhibited podocyte NLRP3 inflammasome formation and activation and consequent glomerular sclerosis in mice with hHcys. Mechanistically, RvD1 and 17S-HDHA were shown to suppress Hcys-induced formation of lipid raft redox signaling platforms and subsequent O production in podocytes. It is concluded that inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation is one of the important mechanisms mediating the beneficial action of RvD1 and 17S-HDHA on Hcys-induced podocyte injury and glomerular sclerosis.
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