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Nlrp3 inflammasome activation and Gasdermin D-driven pyroptosis are immunopathogenic upon gastrointestinal norovirus infection.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Sorgeloos, Frederic  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6492-8524
Sarvestani, Soroush T 
Saeys, Yvan 

Abstract

Norovirus infection is the leading cause of food-borne gastroenteritis worldwide, being responsible for over 200,000 deaths annually. Studies with murine norovirus (MNV) showed that protective STAT1 signaling controls viral replication and pathogenesis, but the immune mechanisms that noroviruses exploit to induce pathology are elusive. Here, we show that gastrointestinal MNV infection leads to widespread IL-1β maturation in MNV-susceptible STAT1-deficient mice. MNV activates the canonical Nlrp3 inflammasome in macrophages, leading to maturation of IL-1β and to Gasdermin D (GSDMD)-dependent pyroptosis. STAT1-deficient macrophages displayed increased MAVS-mediated expression of pro-IL-1β, facilitating elevated Nlrp3-dependent release of mature IL-1β upon MNV infection. Accordingly, MNV-infected Stat1-/- mice showed Nlrp3-dependent maturation of IL-1β as well as Nlrp3-dependent pyroptosis as assessed by in vivo cleavage of GSDMD to its active N-terminal fragment. While MNV-induced diarrheic responses were not affected, Stat1-/- mice additionally lacking either Nlrp3 or GSDMD displayed lower levels of the fecal inflammatory marker Lipocalin-2 as well as delayed lethality after gastrointestinal MNV infection. Together, these results uncover new insights into the mechanisms of norovirus-induced inflammation and cell death, thereby revealing Nlrp3 inflammasome activation and ensuing GSDMD-driven pyroptosis as contributors to MNV-induced immunopathology in susceptible STAT1-deficient mice.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins, Caliciviridae Infections, Cells, Cultured, Gastrointestinal Tract, Inflammasomes, Interleukin-1beta, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Macrophages, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein, Norovirus, Phosphate-Binding Proteins, Pyroptosis, STAT1 Transcription Factor

Journal Title

PLoS Pathog

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1553-7366
1553-7374

Volume Title

15

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (207498/Z/17/Z)
Wellcome Trust (207498/Z/17/Z)
BBSRC (via Imperial College London) (2943027)
Wellcome Trust (097997/Z/11/Z)
Wellcome Trust BBSRC