Asc and Ipaf Inflammasomes direct distinct pathways for caspase-1 activation in response to Legionella pneumophila

Infect Immun. 2009 May;77(5):1981-91. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01382-08. Epub 2009 Feb 23.

Abstract

Caspase-1 activation is a key feature of the innate immune response of macrophages elicited by pathogens and a variety of toxins. Here, we determined the requirement for different adapter proteins involved in regulating host processes mediated by caspase-1 after macrophage infection by Legionella pneumophila. The adapter protein Asc was found to be important for caspase-1 activation during L. pneumophila infection. Activation of caspase-1 through Asc did not require the flagellin-sensing pathway involving the host nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein Ipaf (NLRC4). Asc-dependent caspase-1 activation was inhibited by high extracellular potassium levels, whereas Ipaf-dependent activation was unaffected by potassium treatment. Activation of caspase-1 in macrophages occurred independently of Nalp3 and proteasome activity, suggesting that a previously uncharacterized mechanism for caspase-1 activation through Asc may be triggered by L. pneumophila. Rapid pore formation and pyroptosis induced by L. pneumophila required caspase-1, Ipaf, and bacterial flagellin but occurred independently of Asc. Equivalent levels of active interleukin-18 (IL-18) were detected in the lungs of mice infected with a flagellin-deficient strain of L. pneumophila and Asc-deficient mice infected with wild-type L. pneumophila. Active IL-18 was undetectable in the lungs of Asc-deficient mice infected with an L. pneumophila flagellin mutant, indicating independent roles for Ipaf and Asc in caspase-1-mediated processing and release of IL-18 in vivo. Ipaf-dependent activation of caspase-1 restricted bacterial replication in vivo, whereas Asc was dispensable for restriction of L. pneumophila replication in mice. Thus, L. pneumophila-mediated caspase-1 activation involves the coordinate activities of inflammasomes differentially regulated by Ipaf and Asc.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / immunology*
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / immunology*
  • Carrier Proteins / immunology
  • Caspase 1 / biosynthesis*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / immunology*
  • Flagellin / immunology
  • Interleukin-18 / analysis
  • Legionella pneumophila / immunology*
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Interleukin-18
  • Ipaf protein, mouse
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • Pycard protein, mouse
  • Flagellin
  • Caspase 1