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Zhu C, Xu S, Jiang R, Yu Y, Bian J, Zou Z. The gasdermin family: emerging therapeutic targets in diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:87. [PMID: 38584157 PMCID: PMC10999458 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01801-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The gasdermin (GSDM) family has garnered significant attention for its pivotal role in immunity and disease as a key player in pyroptosis. This recently characterized class of pore-forming effector proteins is pivotal in orchestrating processes such as membrane permeabilization, pyroptosis, and the follow-up inflammatory response, which are crucial self-defense mechanisms against irritants and infections. GSDMs have been implicated in a range of diseases including, but not limited to, sepsis, viral infections, and cancer, either through involvement in pyroptosis or independently of this process. The regulation of GSDM-mediated pyroptosis is gaining recognition as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of various diseases. Current strategies for inhibiting GSDMD primarily involve binding to GSDMD, blocking GSDMD cleavage or inhibiting GSDMD-N-terminal (NT) oligomerization, albeit with some off-target effects. In this review, we delve into the cutting-edge understanding of the interplay between GSDMs and pyroptosis, elucidate the activation mechanisms of GSDMs, explore their associations with a range of diseases, and discuss recent advancements and potential strategies for developing GSDMD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Zhu
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Sheng Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Immunity & Inflammation, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Ruoyu Jiang
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yizhi Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Immunity & Inflammation, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Jinjun Bian
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Zui Zou
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
- School of Anesthesiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Strippoli R, Niayesh-Mehr R, Adelipour M, Khosravi A, Cordani M, Zarrabi A, Allameh A. Contribution of Autophagy to Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Induction during Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:807. [PMID: 38398197 PMCID: PMC10886827 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a dedifferentiation process implicated in many physio-pathological conditions including tumor transformation. EMT is regulated by several extracellular mediators and under certain conditions it can be reversible. Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process in which intracellular components such as protein/DNA aggregates and abnormal organelles are degraded in specific lysosomes. In cancer, autophagy plays a controversial role, acting in different conditions as both a tumor suppressor and a tumor-promoting mechanism. Experimental evidence shows that deep interrelations exist between EMT and autophagy-related pathways. Although this interplay has already been analyzed in previous studies, understanding mechanisms and the translational implications of autophagy/EMT need further study. The role of autophagy in EMT is not limited to morphological changes, but activation of autophagy could be important to DNA repair/damage system, cell adhesion molecules, and cell proliferation and differentiation processes. Based on this, both autophagy and EMT and related pathways are now considered as targets for cancer therapy. In this review article, the contribution of autophagy to EMT and progression of cancer is discussed. This article also describes the multiple connections between EMT and autophagy and their implication in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Strippoli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, I.R.C.C.S., 00149 Rome, Italy
| | - Reyhaneh Niayesh-Mehr
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran P.O. Box 14115-331, Iran;
| | - Maryam Adelipour
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 61357-15794, Iran;
| | - Arezoo Khosravi
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Okan University, Istanbul 34959, Türkiye;
| | - Marco Cordani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul 34396, Türkiye;
- Department of Research Analytics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Abdolamir Allameh
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran P.O. Box 14115-331, Iran;
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Yang J, Jiang J. Gasdermins: a dual role in pyroptosis and tumor immunity. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1322468. [PMID: 38304430 PMCID: PMC10830654 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1322468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The gasdermin (GSDM) protein family plays a pivotal role in pyroptosis, a process critical to the body's immune response, particularly in combatting bacterial infections, impeding tumor invasion, and contributing to the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. These proteins are adept at activating inflammasome signaling pathways, recruiting immune effector cells, creating an inflammatory immune microenvironment, and initiating pyroptosis. This article serves as an introduction to the GSDM protein-mediated pyroptosis signaling pathways, providing an overview of GSDMs' involvement in tumor immunity. Additionally, we explore the potential applications of GSDMs in both innovative and established antitumor strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Yang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingting Jiang
- Department of Tumor Biological Treatment, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Tumor Immunotherapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Institute of Cell Therapy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Sarrio D, Colomo S, Moreno-Bueno G. Gasdermin-B (GSDMB) takes center stage in antibacterial defense, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. FEBS J 2023. [PMID: 37997534 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
One of the hottest topics in biomedical research is to decipher the functional implications of the Gasdermin (GSDM) protein family in human pathologies. These proteins are the key effectors of a lytic and pro-inflammatory cell death type termed pyroptosis (also known as "Gasdermin-mediated programmed cell death"). However, ever-growing evidence showed that GSDMs can play multiple and complex roles in a context-dependent manner. In this sense, Gasdermin-B (GSDMB; the only GSDM gene absent in mice and rats) has been implicated in antibacterial defense, numerous inflammatory pathologies (e.g., asthma, ulcerative colitis), and cancer, but both cell death-dependent and -independent functions have been reported in these diseases, fueling the debate on whether GSDMB has genuine pyroptotic capacity. Recently, a series of seminal papers cast light on the GSDMB multitasking capacity by showing that different GSDMB transcriptional isoforms have distinct biological activities. Nonetheless, there are still obscure areas to be clarified on the precise functional involvement of GSDMB translated variants in physiological and pathological conditions. In this viewpoint, we critically discuss the most recent and exciting data on this topic and propose a series of relevant challenges that need to be overcome before GSDMB-driven biomedical applications (as a biomarker of disease risk/progression/outcome or as specific therapeutic target) become a reality in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sarrio
- Biochemistry Department, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBm-CISC), Conexión Cáncer (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Colomo
- Biochemistry Department, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBm-CISC), Conexión Cáncer (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Moreno-Bueno
- Biochemistry Department, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" (IIBm-CISC), Conexión Cáncer (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Fundación MD Anderson Internacional, Madrid, Spain
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Hou J, Li T, Hsu JM, Zhang X, Hung MC. Gasdermins and cancers. Semin Immunol 2023; 70:101833. [PMID: 37647772 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The identification of gasdermin as the executor of pyroptosis has opened new avenues for the study of this process. Although pyroptosis research has mainly focused on immune cells since it was discovered three decades ago, accumulating evidence suggests that pyroptosis plays crucial roles in many biological processes. One example is the discovery of gasdermin-mediated cancer cell pyroptosis (CCP) which has become an important and frontier field in oncology. Recent studies have shown that CCP induction can heat tumor microenvironment (TME) and thereby elicit the robust anti-tumor immunity to suppress tumor growth. As a newly discovered form of tumor cell death, CCP offers promising opportunities for improving tumor treatment and developing new drugs. Nevertheless, the research on CCP is still in its infancy, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the expression, regulation and activation of gasdermins are not yet fully understood. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of gasdermin research in cancer area, and propose that the anti-tumor effect of immune cell pyroptosis (ICP) and CCP depends on their duration, intensity, and the type of cells undergoing pyroptosis within TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Hou
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Center for Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Tiansheng Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Center for Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jung-Mao Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Research Center for Cancer Biology, Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, and Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Otolaryngology Major Disease Research Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; Clinical Research Center for Pharyngolaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders in Hunan Province, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Research Center for Cancer Biology, Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, and Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Colomo S, Ros-Pardo D, Oltra SS, Gomez-Puertas P, Sarrio D, Moreno-Bueno G. Structural and functional insights into GSDMB isoforms complex roles in pathogenesis. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:2346-2359. [PMID: 38037340 PMCID: PMC10730220 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2287933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
SHADSGasdermins (GSDMs) have garnered significant scientific interest due to their protective and detrimental roles in innate immunity, host defense, inflammation, and cancer alongside with other pathologies. While GSDMs are mostly recognized as key effectors of a lytic type of pro-inflammatory cell death known as pyroptosis, they do also take part in other cell death processes (NETosis, secondary necrosis, or apoptosis) and exhibit cell-death independent functions depending on the cellular context. Among GSDMs, Gasdermin B (GSDMB) pyroptotic capacity has been a subject of conflicting findings in scientific literature even when its processing, and subsequent activation, by Granzyme A (GZMA) was decoded. Nevertheless, recent groundbreaking publications have shed light on the crucial role of alternative splicing in determining the pyroptotic capacity of GSDMB isoforms, which depends on the presence of exon 6-derived elements. This comprehensive review pays attention to the relevant structural differences among recently crystalized GSDMB isoforms. As a novelty, the structural aspects governing GSDMB isoform susceptibility to GZMA-mediated activation have been investigated. By elucidating the complex roles of GSDMB isoforms, this review aims to deepen the understanding of this multifunctional player and its potential implications in disease pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions. [Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Colomo
- Biochemistry Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Sols-Morreale’ (IIBm-CISC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ros-Pardo
- Grupo de modelado molecular, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CBMSO (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara S Oltra
- Biochemistry Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Sols-Morreale’ (IIBm-CISC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio de Investigación Traslacional, Fundación MD Anderson Internacional (FMDA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Paulino Gomez-Puertas
- Grupo de modelado molecular, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CBMSO (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - David Sarrio
- Biochemistry Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Sols-Morreale’ (IIBm-CISC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Moreno-Bueno
- Biochemistry Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Sols-Morreale’ (IIBm-CISC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio de Investigación Traslacional, Fundación MD Anderson Internacional (FMDA), Madrid, Spain
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Weindel CG, Ellzey LM, Martinez EL, Watson RO, Patrick KL. Gasdermins gone wild: new roles for GSDMs in regulating cellular homeostasis. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:773-787. [PMID: 37062616 PMCID: PMC10611448 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Since their discovery, members of the gasdermin (GSDM) family of proteins have been firmly established as executors of pyroptosis, with the N-terminal fragment of most GSDMs capable of forming pores in the plasma membrane. More recent findings suggest that some GSDMs can drive additional cell death pathways, such as apoptosis and necroptosis, through mechanisms independent of plasma membrane perforation. There is also emerging evidence that by associating with cellular compartments such as mitochondria, peroxisomes, endosomes, and the nucleus, GSDMs regulate cell death-independent aspects of cellular homeostasis. Here, we review the diversity of GSDM function across several cell types and explore how various cellular stresses can promote relocalization - and thus refunctionalization - of GSDMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi G Weindel
- Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Lily M Ellzey
- Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA
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Yang X, Tang Z. Role of gasdermin family proteins in cancers (Review). Int J Oncol 2023; 63:100. [PMID: 37477150 PMCID: PMC10552715 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2023.5548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The gasdermin (GSDM) family comprises six proteins, including GSDMA‑GSDME and Pejvakin. Most of these proteins have a crucial role in inducing pyroptosis; in particular, GSDMD and GSDME are the most extensively studied proteins as the executioners of the pyroptosis process. Pyroptosis is a highly pro‑inflammatory form of programmed cell death and is closely associated with the incidence, development and prognosis of multiple cancer types. The present review focused on the current knowledge of the molecular mechanism of GSDM‑mediated pyroptosis, its intricate role in cancer and the potential therapeutic value of its anti‑tumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Zhe Tang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
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Privitera G, Rana N, Armuzzi A, Pizarro TT. The gasdermin protein family: emerging roles in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 20:366-387. [PMID: 36781958 PMCID: PMC10238632 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-023-00743-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Since the identification and characterization of gasdermin (GSDM) D as the main effector of inflammatory regulated cell death (or pyroptosis), literature on the GSDM family of pore-forming proteins is rapidly expanding, revealing novel mechanisms regulating their expression and functions that go beyond pyroptosis. Indeed, a growing body of evidence corroborates the importance of GSDMs within the gastrointestinal system, underscoring their critical contributions to the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal cancers, enteric infections and gut mucosal inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease. However, with this increase in knowledge, several important and controversial issues have arisen regarding basic GSDM biology and its role(s) during health and disease states. These include critical questions centred around GSDM-dependent lytic versus non-lytic functions, the biological activities of cleaved versus full-length proteins, the differential roles of GSDM-expressing mucosal immune versus epithelial cells, and whether GSDMs promote pathogenic or protective effects during specific disease settings. This Review provides a comprehensive summary and interpretation of the current literature on GSDM biology, specifically focusing on the gastrointestinal tract, highlighting the main controversial issues and their clinical implications, and addressing future areas of research to unravel the specific role(s) of this intriguing, yet enigmatic, family of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Privitera
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Dipartimento Universitario di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Nitish Rana
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alessandro Armuzzi
- IBD Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Theresa T Pizarro
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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Distinct GSDMB protein isoforms and protease cleavage processes differentially control pyroptotic cell death and mitochondrial damage in cancer cells. Cell Death Differ 2023; 30:1366-1381. [PMID: 36899106 PMCID: PMC10154425 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01143-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Gasdermin (GSDM)-mediated pyroptosis is functionally involved in multiple diseases, but Gasdermin-B (GSDMB) exhibit cell death-dependent and independent activities in several pathologies including cancer. When the GSDMB pore-forming N-terminal domain is released by Granzyme-A cleavage, it provokes cancer cell death, but uncleaved GSDMB promotes multiple pro-tumoral effects (invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance). To uncover the mechanisms of GSDMB pyroptosis, here we determined the GSDMB regions essential for cell death and described for the first time a differential role of the four translated GSDMB isoforms (GSDMB1-4, that differ in the alternative usage of exons 6-7) in this process. Accordingly, we here prove that exon 6 translation is essential for GSDMB mediated pyroptosis, and therefore, GSDMB isoforms lacking this exon (GSDMB1-2) cannot provoke cancer cell death. Consistently, in breast carcinomas the expression of GSDMB2, and not exon 6-containing variants (GSDMB3-4), associates with unfavourable clinical-pathological parameters. Mechanistically, we show that GSDMB N-terminal constructs containing exon-6 provoke cell membrane lysis and a concomitant mitochondrial damage. Moreover, we have identified specific residues within exon 6 and other regions of the N-terminal domain that are important for GSDMB-triggered cell death as well as for mitochondrial impairment. Additionally, we demonstrated that GSDMB cleavage by specific proteases (Granzyme-A, Neutrophil Elastase and caspases) have different effects on pyroptosis regulation. Thus, immunocyte-derived Granzyme-A can cleave all GSDMB isoforms, but in only those containing exon 6, this processing results in pyroptosis induction. By contrast, the cleavage of GSDMB isoforms by Neutrophil Elastase or caspases produces short N-terminal fragments with no cytotoxic activity, thus suggesting that these proteases act as inhibitory mechanisms of pyroptosis. Summarizing, our results have important implications for understanding the complex roles of GSDMB isoforms in cancer or other pathologies and for the future design of GSDMB-targeted therapies.
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