The mechanisms leading to NOD-leucine rich repeat and pyrin containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation are still debated. It is well established that oligomerized NLRP3 interacts with apoptosis associated Speck-like protein containing a CARD domain (ASC) which polymerizes into filaments recruiting procaspase-1, leading to its activation. However, pathways triggering NLRP3 activation, such as potassium efflux, ROS production or lysosomal permeabilization, can be required or not, depending on the activators used. Here we proposed to evaluate the importance of Cathepsin B on NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation. Using Cathepsin B −/− BMDMs (Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages), we first show that Cathepsin B is required for caspase-1 activation, IL-1β production and ASC speck formation, upon treatment with different types of NLRP3 activators, i.e., ATP, nigericin or crystals. Moreover, in these conditions, Cathepsin B interacts with NLRP3 at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) level. To conclude, different NLRP3 activators lead to Cathepsin B interaction with NLRP3 at the ER level and to subsequent caspase-1 activation.

Along with surgery and radiotherapy, chemotherapeutic agents belong to the therapeutic arsenal in cancer treatment. In addition to their direct cytotoxic effects, these agents also impact the host immune system, which might enhance or counteract their antitumor activity. The platinum derivative compounds family, mainly composed of carboplatin, cisplatin and oxaliplatin, belongs to the chemotherapeutical arsenal used in numerous cancer types. Here, we will focus on the effects of these molecules on antitumor immune response. These compounds can induce or not immunogenic cell death (ICD), and some strategies have been found to induce or further enhance it. They also regulate immune cells' fate. Platinum derivatives can lead to their activation. Additionally, they can also dampen immune cells by selective killing or inhibiting their activity, particularly by modulating immune checkpoints' expression.Cell death is characterized by morphological alterations that have been historically used by The Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) to classify this cellular process into three different forms: type I or apoptosis, type II or autophagy, and type III or necrosis. Although limited, this morphological classification remains widely used, independently of essential molecular aspects of the cell death process. New NCCD classifications focus on molecular mechanisms and on the biochemistry of intracellular signalization effectors. Currently, it is clear that connections and overlaps exist between the different types of cell death. The majority of chemotherapeutic drugs are known to induce apoptosis or necrosis. Engagement of a particular type of cell death depends on the stress type, interaction between induction factors, genetic cell background, organelle content and enzymatic proteins arsenal [3,4].The action of chemotherapy relies not only on its cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, but also on its ability to affect immune cells.

Synthetic oligonucleotide probes were used to identify a cloned DNA fragment from the cyanobacterium Agmenellum quadruplicatum that contains the genes for the a and 13 subunits of C-phycocyanin. The coding region for the a- The derived amino acid sequences for both C-phycocyanin subunits were compared with other known C-phycocyanin sequences for homology. Homologies between the A. quadruplicatum a subunit and a subunits from other species were ==70%, as were homologies between the A. quadruplicatum 13 subunit and other 13 subunits. Homologies between the various a and 13 subunits were 21%-27%. Codon usage for both the C-phycocyanin a-and -subunit genes shows asymmetries for many amino acids that correspond closely to those seen in highly expressed Escherichia coli genes.Phycobiliproteins are protein-chromophore conjugates found in cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) as well as in rhodophytes (red algae) and cryptomonads. They are accessory photosynthetic pigments and may comprise as much as 40%-60%o of the soluble protein in these cells (1-3). Thus, phycobiliproteins are major metabolic products of these organisms. These proteins can be divided into three classes based on their spectral properties: phycoerythrins, phycocyanins, and allophycocyanins. The basic structural unit of the proteins contains one a chain and one p chain. The a polypeptide is covalently linked to one bilin derivative; the 8 polypeptide is covalently linked to two bilin derivatives. In vivo, phycobiliproteins exist in higher aggregation states with the (a)6 form generally believed to be the functionally important aggregate (3-6).The role of phycobiliproteins is to trap light energy in the 500-to 650-nm wavelength range and to transfer it to chlorophyll a of photosystem II. In vivo, this transfer of energy occurs with an efficiency approaching 100% (7). Measurements of energy transfer in both intact algal cells and isolated phycobilisomes (8)(9)(10)(11) have shown that light energy is normally first absorbed by phycoerythrin, then transferred to phycocyanin, then to allophycocyanin, and finally to chlorophyll a. It has further been established that the transfer of energy within a phycobiliprotein is from the / chain to the a chain (12)(13)(14).

Subset of macrophages within the atheroma plaque displays a high glucose uptake activity. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms and the pathophysiological significance of this high glucose need remain unclear. While the role for hypoxia and hypoxia inducible factor 1α has been demonstrated, the contribution of lipid micro-environment and more specifically oxysterols is yet to be explored. Experimental Approach: Human macrophages were conditioned in the presence of homogenates from human carotid plaques, and expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism was quantified. Correlative analyses between gene expression and the oxysterol composition of plaques were performed.Key Results: Conditioning of human macrophages by plaque homogenates induces expression of several genes involved in glucose uptake and glycolysis including glucose transporter 1 (SLC2A1) and hexokinases 2 and 3 (HK2 and HK3). This activation is significantly correlated to the oxysterol content of the plaque samples and is associated with a significant increase in the glycolytic activity of the cells. Pharmacological inverse agonist of the oxysterol receptor liver X receptor (LXR) partially reverses the induction of glycolysis genes without affecting macrophage glycolytic activity.Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis confirms the implication of LXR in the regulation of SLC2A1 and HK2 genes. Conclusion and Implications:While our work supports the role of oxysterols and the LXR in the modulation of macrophage metabolism in atheroma plaques, it also highlights some LXR-independent effects of plaques samples. Finally, this study identifies hexokinase 3 as a promising target in the context of atherosclerosis.

COVID-19 pneumonia has specific features and outcomes that suggests a unique immunopathogenesis. Severe forms of COVID-19 appear to be more frequent in obese patients, but an association with metabolic disorders is not established. Here, we focused on lipoprotein metabolism in patients hospitalized for severe pneumonia, depending on COVID-19 status. Thirty-four non-COVID-19 and 27 COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia were enrolled. Most of them required intensive care. Plasma lipid levels, lipoprotein metabolism, and clinical and biological (including plasma cytokines) features were assessed. Despite similar initial metabolic comorbidities and respiratory severity, COVID-19 patients displayed a lower acute phase response but higher plasmatic concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs). NEFA profiling was characterised by higher level of polyunsaturated NEFAs (mainly linoleic and arachidonic acids) in COVID-19 patients. Multivariable analysis showed that among severe pneumonia, COVID-19-associated pneumonia was associated with higher NEFAs, lower apolipoprotein E and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, independently of body mass index, sequential organ failure (SOFA) score, and C-reactive protein levels. NEFAs and PUFAs concentrations were negatively correlated with the number of ventilator-free days. Among hospitalized patients with severe pneumonia, COVID-19 is independently associated with higher NEFAs (mainly linoleic and arachidonic acids) and lower apolipoprotein E and HDL concentrations. These features might act as mediators in COVID-19 pathogenesis and emerge as new therapeutic targets. Further investigations are required to define the role of NEFAs in the pathogenesis and the dysregulated immune response associated with COVID-19.Trial registration: NCT04435223.

BackgroundWe have previously shown that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) selectively kills myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and activates NLRP3 (NOD-leucine rich repeat and pyrin containing protein 3) inflammasome. NLRP3 activation leads to caspase-1 activation and production of IL-1β, which in turn favors secondary tumor growth. We decided to explore the effects of either a heat shock (HS) or the deficiency in heat shock protein (HSP) 70, previously shown to respectively inhibit or increase NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages.MethodsCaspase-1 activation was detected in vitro in MSC-2 cells by western blot and in vivo or ex vivo in tumor and/or splenic MDSCs by flow cytometry. The effects of HS, HSP70 deficiency and anakinra (an IL-1 inhibitor) on tumor growth and mice survival were studied in C57BL/6 WT orHsp70−/−tumor-bearing mice. Finally, Th17 polarization was evaluated by qPCR (Il17a, Rorc) and angiogenic markers by qPCR (Pecam1, Eng) and immunohistochemistry (ERG).ResultsHS inhibits 5-FU-mediated caspase-1 activation in vitro and in vivo without affecting its cytotoxicity on MDSCs. Moreover, it enhances the antitumor effect of 5-FU treatment and favors mice survival. Interestingly, it is associated to a decreased Th17 and angiogenesis markers in tumors. IL-1β injection is able to bypass HS+5-FU antitumor effects. In contrast, inHsp70−/−MDSCs, 5-FU-mediated caspase-1 activation is increased in vivo and in vitro without effect on 5-FU cytotoxicity. InHsp70−/−mice, the antitumor effect of 5-FU was impeded, with an increased Th17 and angiogenesis markers in tumors. Finally, the effects of 5-FU on tumor growth can be restored by inhibiting IL-1β, using anakinra.ConclusionThis study provides evidence on the role of HSP70 in tuning 5-FU antitumor effect and suggests that HS can be used to improve 5-FU anticancer effect.

Colorectal cancer is a highly metastatic disease that could invade various distal organs and also the peritoneal cavity leading to peritoneal carcinomatosis. This is a terminal condition with poor prognosis and only palliative treatments such as cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy are proposed to some patients. However, clinicians use different parameters of treatments without any consensus. Here we decided to evaluate the effect of osmolarity in the efficacy of this procedure to kill colon cancer cells. We first show that a short exposure of platinum derivatives in hypotonic conditions is more efficient to decrease cell viability of human and murine colon cancer cells in vitro as compared to isotonic conditions. This is related to more important incorporation of platinum and the capacity of hypotonic stress to induce the copper transporter CTR1 oligomerization. Oxaliplatin in hypotonic conditions induces caspase-dependent cell death of colon cancer cells. Moreover, hypotonic conditions also modulate the capacity of oxaliplatin and cisplatin (but not carboplatin) to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). In vivo, oxaliplatin in hypotonic conditions increases CD8 + T cell tumor infiltration and activation. Finally, in a murine peritoneal carcinomatosis model, oxaliplatin in hypotonic conditions is the only tested protocol which is able to slow down the appearance of tumor nodules and increase mice survival, while showing no effect in CD8 + T cells depleted mice or in immunodeficient mice. Altogether, our study provides new information both in vitro and in a preclinical model of peritoneal carcinomatosis, which highlights the importance of hypoosmolarity in intraperitoneal chemotherapy.Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article.

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