Innate
and adaptive immunity is important for initiating and maintaining
immune function. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like
receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome serves
as a checkpoint in innate and adaptive immunity, promoting the secretion
of pro-inflammatory cytokines and gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis.
As a highly inflammatory form of cell death distinct from apoptosis,
pyroptosis can trigger immunogenic cell death and promote systemic
immune responses in solid tumors. Previous studies proposed that NLRP3
was activated by translocation to the mitochondria. However, a recent
authoritative study has challenged this model and proved that the
Golgi apparatus might be a prerequisite for the activation of NLRP3.
In this study, we first developed a Golgi apparatus-targeted photodynamic
strategy to induce the activation of NLRP3 by precisely locating organelles.
We found that Golgi apparatus-targeted photodynamic therapy could
significantly upregulate NLRP3 expression to promote the subsequent
release of intracellular proinflammatory contents such as IL-1β
or IL-18, creating an inflammatory storm to enhance innate immunity.
Moreover, this acute NLRP3 upregulation also activated its downstream
classical caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis to enhance tumor immunogenicity,
triggering adaptive immunity. Pyroptosis eventually led to immunogenic
cell death, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells, and effectively
activated antitumor immunity and long-lived immune memory. Overall,
this Golgi apparatus-targeted strategy provided molecular insights
into the occurrence of immunogenic pyroptosis and offered a platform
to remodel the tumor microenvironment.