Identification of Azalamellarin N as a Pyroptosis Inhibitor.

Pyroptosis is a form of regulated cell death that promotes inflammation; it attracts much attention because its dysregulation leads to various inflammatory diseases. To help explore the precise mechanisms by which pyroptosis is regulated, in this study, we searched for chemical compounds that inhibit pyroptosis. From our original compound library, we identified azalamellarin N (AZL-N), a hexacyclic pyrrole alkaloid, as an inhibitor of pyroptosis induced by R837 (also called imiquimod), which is an agonist of the intracellular multiprotein complex nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. However, whereas the effect of AZL-N on R837-induced pyroptosis was relatively weak, AZL-N strongly inhibited pyroptosis induced by extracellular ATP or nigericin, which are different types of NLRP3 inflammasome agonists. This was in contrast with the results that MCC950, a well-established NLRP3 inhibitor, consistently inhibited pyroptosis irrespective of the type of stimulus. We also found that AZL-N inhibited activation of caspase-1 and apoptosis-associated speck-like proteins containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC), which are components of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Analysis of the structure-activity relationship revealed that a lactam ring of AZL-N, which has been shown to contribute to the strong binding of AZL-N to its known target protein kinases, is required for its inhibitory effects on pyroptosis. These results suggest that AZL-N inhibits pyroptosis by targeting molecule(s), which may be protein kinase(s), that act upstream of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, rather than by directly targeting the components of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Further identification and analysis of target molecule(s) of AZL-N will shed light on the regulatory mechanisms of pyroptosis, particularly those depending on proinflammatory stimuli.

Mitochondrial function is required for extracellular ATP-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in the processing and release of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-18. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondria are common mediators of NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by a wide range of inflammatory stimuli; however, the precise role of mitochondria is still not fully understood. Here, we show that mitochondrial function is required for extracellular ATP-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Extracellular ATP induced the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial fragmentation in a different manner than other stimuli in primary mouse macrophages. CCCP, an uncoupler and antimycin A, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, inhibited IL-1ß release induced by ATP but not by other stimuli. CCCP did not inhibit the ATP-induced generation of reactive oxygen species and cell death, both of which are known to promote IL-1ß release, but did inhibit the ATP-induced activation of caspase-1, a component of the NLRP3 inflammasome. These results suggest that mitochondrial function is required somewhat specifically for ATP-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In contrast to many previous reports that dysfunctional mitochondria promote NLRP3 inflammasome activation, the function of intact mitochondria appears to be required for NLRP3 inflammasome activation, depending on the stimulus.

WP1066 suppresses macrophage cell death induced by inflammasome agonists independently of its inhibitory effect on STAT3.

The compound WP1066 was originally synthesized by modifying the structure of AG490, which inhibits the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) by directly targeting Janus kinases (JAKs). WP1066 exhibits stronger anti-cancer activity than AG490 against malignant glioma and other cancer cells and is regarded as a promising therapeutic agent. By screening a small library of target-known compounds, we identified WP1066 as an inhibitor of macrophage cell death induced by agonists of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an intracellular protein complex required for the processing of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1ß. WP1066 strongly inhibited cell death as well as extracellular release of IL-1ß induced by inflammasome agonists in mouse peritoneal exudate cells and human leukemia monocytic THP-1 cells that were differentiated into macrophagic cells by treatment with PMA. However, inflammasome agonists did not increase STAT3 phosphorylation, and another JAK inhibitor, ruxolitinib, did not inhibit cell death, although it strongly inhibited basal STAT3 phosphorylation. Thus, WP1066 appears to suppress macrophage cell death independently of its inhibitory effect on STAT3. In contrast, WP1066 itself induced the death of undifferentiated THP-1 cells, suggesting that WP1066 differentially modulates cell death in a context-dependent manner. Consistent with previous findings, WP1066 induced the death of human glioma A172 and T98G cells. However, neither ruxolitinib nor AG490, the former of which completely suppressed STAT3 phosphorylation, induced the death of these glioma cells. These results suggest that WP1066 targets cell death-modulating molecules other than those involved in JAK-STAT3 signaling.