Abstract
The NLRP3 inflammasome has a major role in regulating innate immunity. Deregulated inflammasome activity is associated with several inflammatory diseases, yet little is known about the signaling pathways that lead to its activation. Here we show that NLRP3 interacted with thioredoxin (TRX)-interacting protein (TXNIP), a protein linked to insulin resistance. Inflammasome activators such as uric acid crystals induced the dissociation of TXNIP from thioredoxin in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive manner and allowed it to bind NLRP3. TXNIP deficiency impaired activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent secretion of interleukin 1β (IL-1β). Akin to Txnip−/− mice, Nlrp3−/− mice showed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. The participation of TXNIP in the NLRP3 inflammasome activation may provide a mechanistic link to the observed involvement of IL-1β in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.
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Acknowledgements
We thank P. Vandenabeele (Ghent University) for antibody to mouse caspase-1 (p20); V. Dixit (Genentech) for Ipaf−/− mice; R.V. Bruggen (Free University Amsterdam) for S. typhimurium; R. Solari (Glaxo) for antibody to mouse IL-1β; M. Joffraud for technical help; and K. Schroder, C. Dostert and O. Gross for reading the manuscript. Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, MUGEN and the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research for Molecular Oncology (A.T.).
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R.Z. and J.T. designed the study and wrote the manuscript; R.Z. and A.T. did experiments; I.C. provided mice; and B.T. provided technical support and conceptual advice.
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Zhou, R., Tardivel, A., Thorens, B. et al. Thioredoxin-interacting protein links oxidative stress to inflammasome activation. Nat Immunol 11, 136–140 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1831
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1831