Innate immune activation through Nalp3 inflammasome sensing of asbestos and silica.

Abstract

The inhalation of airborne pollutants, such as asbestos or silica, is linked to inflammation of the lung, fibrosis, and lung cancer. How the presence of pathogenic dust is recognized and how chronic inflammatory diseases are triggered are poorly understood. Here, we show that asbestos and silica are sensed by the Nalp3 inflammasome, whose subsequent activation leads to interleukin-1beta secretion. Inflammasome activation is triggered by reactive oxygen species, which are generated by a NADPH oxidase upon particle phagocytosis. (NADPH is the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate.) In a model of asbestos inhalation, Nalp3-/- mice showed diminished recruitment of inflammatory cells to the lungs, paralleled by lower cytokine production. Our findings implicate the Nalp3 inflammasome in particulate matter-related pulmonary diseases and support its role as a major proinflammatory "danger" receptor.

• Authors: Catherine Dostert, Virginie Pétrilli, Robin Van Bruggen, Chad Steele, Brooke T Mossman, Jürg Tschopp
• Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) (Science) Vol. 320 Issue 5876 Pg. 674-7 (May 02 2008) ISSN: 1095-9203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 18403674 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Carrier Proteins
• Inflammation Mediators
• Interleukin-1beta
• NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
• Nlrp3 protein, mouse
• Asbestos
• Silicon Dioxide

Topics

• Animals
• Asbestos (immunology)
• Carrier Proteins (physiology)
• Humans
• Immunity
• Inflammation (immunology)
• Inflammation Mediators (physiology)
• Interleukin-1beta (metabolism)
• Macrophages (immunology, metabolism)
• Mice
• NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
• Silicon Dioxide (immunology)