IRF2 contributes to myocardial infarction via regulation of GSDMD induced pyroptosis

Nuclear IL-1α Triggers Pyroptosis in Porcine Intramuscular Preadipocytes

Pigs are vital for meat production, and their intramuscular fat content significantly impacts pork quality and flavor. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on porcine intramuscular fat, we found that adipose progenitor cells express highly inflammatory genes, including IL-1α, during adipogenic differentiation. IL-1α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine present in various cell types, can translocate to the nucleus via its nuclear localization sequence (NLS), yet its nuclear function remains unclear. By constructing an inactivated NLS carrier for IL-1α, we discovered that nuclear IL-1α promotes pyroptosis in porcine intramuscular adipocytes through the IRF2-NOCT-ROS pathway. This study reveals a novel role of nuclear IL-1α in pyroptosis regulation, providing insights into enhancing the intramuscular fat content and improving pork quality.

Therapeutic Potential of Gasdermin D-Mediated Myocardial Pyroptosis in Ischaemic Heart Disease: Expanding the Paradigm From Bench to Clinical Insights

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) remains a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. One significant contributor to the pathology of IHD is the excessive release of inflammatory mediators during the disease progression. Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death (PCD) triggered by the activation of inflammasomes and caspase 1. The activation of inflammatory caspase 1 proteolytically cleaves gasdermin D (GSDMD) to the activated form amino acid terminus (GSDMD-NT), leading to disruption of the plasma membrane. This cascade of events is considered the canonical pathway of pyroptosis. IHD also caused oxidative stress, thereby triggering noncanonical pyroptosis via the activation of caspases 4/5/11. Previous studies have provided compelling evidence of the close relationship between pyroptosis and the aetiology of IHD (e.g., acute myocardial infarction, myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion injury and chronic myocardial infarction), as well as the association of pyroptosis with unfavourable clinical outcomes. Several interventions aimed at targeting pyroptosis have demonstrated promising therapeutic benefits against IHD-related pathologies. This review provides mechanistic insights into the roles of pyroptosis in IHD from in vitro, in vivo and clinical perspectives. In-depth understanding into this area could also pave the way for the future development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting pyroptosis in IHD.

Spatial integration of multi-omics single-cell data with SIMO

Technical limitations in spatial and single-cell omics sequencing pose challenges for capturing and describing multimodal information at the spatial scale. To address this, we develop SIMO, a computational method designed for the Spatial Integration of Multi-Omics datasets through probabilistic alignment. Unlike previous tools, SIMO not only integrates spatial transcriptomics with single-cell RNA-seq but expands beyond, enabling integration across multiple single-cell modalities, such as chromatin accessibility and DNA methylation, which have not been co-profiled spatially before. We benchmark SIMO on simulated datasets, demonstrating its high accuracy and robustness. Further application on biological datasets reveals SIMO's ability to detect topological patterns of cells and their regulatory modes across multiple omics layers. Through comprehensive analysis of real-world data, SIMO uncovers multimodal spatial heterogeneity, offering deeper insights into the spatial organization and regulation of biological molecules. These findings position SIMO as a powerful tool for advancing spatial biology by revealing previously inaccessible multimodal insights.

CircPCNXL2 promotes preeclampsia progression by suppressing trophoblast cell proliferation and invasion via miR-487a-3p/interferon regulatory factor 2 axis

BACKGROUND

Preeclampsia (PE) has culminated in maternal and perinatal sickness and death across the world, affecting approximately 4.6% of pregnancies. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been linked to the biology of numerous pathologies, including PE. Here, we investigated the functional role of circPCNXL2 in the progression of PE.

METHODS

We employed the GEO database to get the expression profile of circPCNXL2 in patients with PE. This was followed by the detection of the expression of circPCNXL2 and miR-326 by qRT-PCR. The role of circPCNXL2 on trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was confirmed with cell viability assays, the transwell assay, and the colony formation assay. Further, we employed dual luciferase, FISH, RNA pull-down assay and Western blot analysis to determine the interaction between the expression of circPCNXL2, miR-487a-3p, and IRF2.

RESULT

Findings from this study revealed that proliferation and migration of trophoblast cells were significantly increased in the HTR-8/SVneo cells after silencing circPCNXL2. Additionally, knockdown of circPCNXL2 remarkably increased miR-487a-3p expression, while IRF2 expression was remarkably reduced ( P  < 0.05), indicating the presence of complementary binding sequence on miR-487a-3p with which they sequester circPCNXL2. Rescue experiments revealed that interaction occurs between circPCNXL2, miR-487a-3p, and the IRF2 protein, indicating that circPCNXL2 expression elicits suppression of migration and proliferation of trophoblast cells via the miR-487a-3p/IRF2 pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that circPCNXL2 upregulation promotes pre-eclampsia by inhibiting proliferation and migration of trophoblast cells via the miR-487a-3p/IRF2 pathway or axis.

Aerobic exercise inhibits GSDME-dependent myocardial cell pyroptosis to protect ischemia-reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a significant cause of global mortality, exacerbated by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Myocardial cell pyroptosis has emerged as a critical pathway influencing IR injury severity.

METHODS

We aimed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of aerobic exercise on IR injury by examining the modulation of IGFBP2 and its impact on GSDME-dependent myocardial cell pyroptosis. Mechanistic pathways were explored using western blot analysis, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and echocardiography.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrate that aerobic exercise leads to increased circulating levels of IGFBP2, which effectively suppresses GSDME-dependent myocardial cell pyroptosis. This regulation occurs via the AKT-GSK3β signaling pathway, involving VDAC1 phosphorylation, thereby enhancing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our study highlights the role of IGFBP2 in mitigating GSDME-dependent pyroptosis as a mechanism through which aerobic exercise exerts cardioprotective effects against IR injury. These insights suggest potential therapeutic targets for managing acute myocardial infarction.

The multiple roles of interferon regulatory factor family in health and disease

Interferon Regulatory Factors (IRFs), a family of transcription factors, profoundly influence the immune system, impacting both physiological and pathological processes. This review explores the diverse functions of nine mammalian IRF members, each featuring conserved domains essential for interactions with other transcription factors and cofactors. These interactions allow IRFs to modulate a broad spectrum of physiological processes, encompassing host defense, immune response, and cell development. Conversely, their pivotal role in immune regulation implicates them in the pathophysiology of various diseases, such as infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, metabolic diseases, and cancers. In this context, IRFs display a dichotomous nature, functioning as both tumor suppressors and promoters, contingent upon the specific disease milieu. Post-translational modifications of IRFs, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, play a crucial role in modulating their function, stability, and activation. As prospective biomarkers and therapeutic targets, IRFs present promising opportunities for disease intervention. Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms governing IRF regulation, potentially pioneering innovative therapeutic strategies, particularly in cancer treatment, where the equilibrium of IRF activities is of paramount importance.

PANoptosis: a novel target for cardiovascular diseases

PANoptosis is a unique innate immune inflammatory lytic cell death pathway initiated by an innate immune sensor and driven by caspases and RIPKs. As a distinct pathway, the execution of PANoptosis cannot be hindered by targeting other cell death pathways, such as pyroptosis, apoptosis, or necroptosis. Instead, targeting key PANoptosome components can serve as a strategy to prevent this form of cell death. Given the physiological relevance in several diseases, PANoptosis is a pivotal therapeutic target. Notably, previous research has primarily focused on the role of PANoptosis in cancer and infectious and inflammatory diseases. By contrast, its role in cardiovascular diseases has not been comprehensively discussed. Here, we review the available evidence on PANoptosis in cardiovascular diseases, including cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and aortic aneurysm and dissection, and explore a variety of agents that target PANoptosis, with the overarching goal of providing a novel complementary approach to combatting cardiovascular diseases.

Interferons and interferon-related pathways in heart disease

Interferons (IFNs) and IFN-related pathways play key roles in the defence against microbial infection. However, these processes may also be activated during the pathogenesis of non-infectious diseases, where they may contribute to organ injury, or function in a compensatory manner. In this review, we explore the roles of IFNs and IFN-related pathways in heart disease. We consider the cardiac effects of type I IFNs and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs); the emerging role of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway; the seemingly paradoxical effects of the type II IFN, IFN-γ; and the varied actions of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family of transcription factors. Recombinant IFNs and small molecule inhibitors of mediators of IFN receptor signaling are already employed in the clinic for the treatment of some autoimmune diseases, infections, and cancers. There has also been renewed interest in IFNs and IFN-related pathways because of their involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and because of the relatively recent emergence of cGAS-STING as a pattern recognition receptor-activated pathway. Whether these advances will ultimately result in improvements in the care of those experiencing heart disease remains to be determined.

Nanocurcumin attenuates pyroptosis and inflammation through inhibiting NF-κB/GSDMD signal in high altitude-associated acute liver injury

Exposure to a hypobaric hypoxic environment at high altitudes can lead to liver injury, and mounting evidence indicates that pyroptosis and inflammation play important roles in liver injury. Curcumin (Cur) can inhibit pyroptosis and inflammation. Therefore, our purpose here was to clarify the mechanism underlying the protective effect of nanocurcumin (Ncur) and Cur in a rat model of high altitude-associated acute liver injury. Eighty healthy rats were selected and exposed to different altitudes (6000 or 7000 m) for 0, 24, 48, or 72 h. Fifty normal healthy rats were divided into normal control, high-altitude control, salidroside (40 mg/kg [Sal-40]), Cur (200 mg/kg [Cur-200]), and Ncur (25 mg/kg [Ncur-25]) groups and exposed to a high-altitude hypobaric hypoxic environment (48 h, 7000 m). Serum-liver enzyme activities (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase were detected and histopathology of liver injury was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and inflammatory factors were detected in liver tissues by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Pyroptosis-associated proteins (gasdermin D, gasdermin D N-terminal [GSDMD-N], pro-Caspase-1, and cleaved-Caspase-1 [cleaved-Casp1]) and inflammation-associated proteins (nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB], phospho-NF-κB [P-NF-κB], and high-mobility group protein B1 [HMGB1]) levels were analyzed by immunoblotting. Ncur and Cur inhibited increased serum-liver enzyme activities, alleviated liver injury in rats caused by high-altitude hypobaric hypoxic exposure, and downregulated inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-18, in rat liver tissues. The level of P-NF-κB, GSDMD-N, cleaved-Casp1, and HMGB1 in rat liver tissues increased significantly after high-altitude exposure. Ncur and Cur downregulated P-NF-κB, GSDMD-N, cleaved-Casp-1, and HMGB1. Ncur and Cur may inhibit inflammatory responses and pyroptosis in a rat model of high altitude-associated acute liver injury.

NLRP3: a new therapeutic target in alcoholic liver disease

The liver is in charge of a wide range of critical physiological processes and it plays an important role in activating the innate immune system which elicits the inflammatory events. Chronic ethanol exposure disrupts hepatic inflammatory mechanism and leads to the release of proinflammatory mediators such as chemokines, cytokines and activation of inflammasomes. The mechanism of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis involve activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to the destruction of hepatocytes and subsequent metabolic dysregulation in humans. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that alcohol intake significantly modifies liver epigenetics, promoting the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Epigenetic changes including histone modification, microRNA-induced genetic modulation, and DNA methylation are crucial in alcohol-evoked cell signaling that affects gene expression in the hepatic system. Though we are at the beginning stage without having the entire print of epigenetic signature, it is time to focus more on NLRP3 inflammasome and epigenetic modifications. Here we review the novel aspect of ALD pathology linking to inflammation and highlighting the role of epigenetic modification associated with NLRP3 inflammasome and how it could be a therapeutic target in ALD.

Role of pyroptosis in the pathogenesis and treatment of diseases

Programmed cell death (PCD) is regarded as a pathological form of cell death with an intracellular program mediated, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis and embryonic development. Pyroptosis is a new paradigm of PCD, which has received increasing attention due to its close association with immunity and disease. Pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory cell death mediated by gasdermin that promotes the release of proinflammatory cytokines and contents induced by inflammasome activation. Recently, increasing evidence in studies shows that pyroptosis has a crucial role in inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, neurological diseases (NDs), and metabolic diseases (MDs), suggesting that targeting cell death is a potential intervention for the treatment of these inflammatory diseases. Based on this, the review aims to identify the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways related to pyroptosis activation and summarizes the current insights into the complicated relationship between pyroptosis and multiple human inflammatory diseases (CVDs, cancer, NDs, and MDs). We also discuss a promising novel strategy and method for treating these inflammatory diseases by targeting pyroptosis and focus on the pyroptosis pathway application in clinics.

Pyroptosis is a drug target for prevention of adverse cardiac remodeling: The crosstalk between pyroptosis, apoptosis, and autophagy

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the main reasons of cardiovascular disease-related death. The introduction of percutaneous coronary intervention to clinical practice dramatically decreased the mortality rate in AMI. Adverse cardiac remodeling is a serious problem in cardiology. An increase in the effectiveness of AMI treatment and prevention of adverse cardiac remodeling is difficult to achieve without understanding the mechanisms of reperfusion cardiac injury and cardiac remodeling. Inhibition of pyroptosis prevents the development of postinfarction and pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling, and mitigates cardiomyopathy induced by diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the pyroptosis inhibitors may find a role in clinical practice for treatment of AMI and prevention of cardiac remodeling, diabetes and metabolic syndrome-triggered cardiomyopathy. It was demonstrated that pyroptosis interacts closely with apoptosis and autophagy. Pyroptosis could be inhibited by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor with a pyrin domain 3 inhibitors, caspase-1 inhibitors, microRNA, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers, and traditional Chinese herbal medicines.

Current knowledge of pyroptosis in heart diseases

Pyroptosis is a form of pro-inflammatory, necrotic cell death mediated by proteins of the gasdermin family. Various heart diseases, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and heart failure, involve cardiomyocyte and non-myocyte pyroptosis. Cardiomyocyte pyroptosis also causes the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Recent studies have confirmed that pyroptosis is predominantly triggered by both the canonical and non-canonical inflammasome pathways, which independently facilitate caspase-1 or caspase-11/4/5 activation and gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage. Cardiac fibroblast and myeloid cell pyroptosis also contributes to the pathogenesis and development of heart diseases. This review summarizes the recent studies on pyroptosis in heart diseases and discusses the associated therapeutic targets.

The Expression of Pyroptosis-Related Gene May Influence the Occurrence, Development, and Prognosis of Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that pyroptosis exerts key roles in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). However, the mechanism of pyroptosis and its predictive value for prognosis remain largely unknown.

METHODS

UCEC data were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The differentially expressed genes in UCEC vs. normal cases were selected to perform a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Forty-two UCEC-associated pyroptosis-related genes were identified via applying differential expression analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) and gene correlation analyses were applied to explore the relationship between 21 UCEC key genes and 42 UCEC-associated pyroptosis-related genes. The expression of 42 UCEC-associated pyroptosis-related genes of different grades was also calculated. The immune environment of UCEC was evaluated. Furthermore, pyroptosis-related genes were filtered out by the co-expression. Univariate and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox analyses were implemented to yield a pyroptosis-related gene model. We also performed consensus classification to regroup UCEC samples into two clusters. A clinically relevant heatmap and survival analysis curve were implemented to explore the clinicopathological features and relationship between two clusters. Furthermore, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was implemented to analyze the risk model.

RESULTS

Twenty-one UCEC key genes and 42 UCEC-associated pyroptosis-related genes were identified. The PPI and gene correlation analysis showed a clear relationship. The expression of 42 UCEC-associated pyroptosis-related genes of different grades was also depicted. A risk model based on pyroptosis-related genes was then developed to forecast overall survival among UCEC patients. Finally, Cox regression analysis verified this model as an independent risk factor for UCEC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of pyroptosis-related gene may influence UCEC occurrence, development, and prognosis.