O reconhecimento da flagelina pelos NLRs Naip5 e NLRC4 leva à formação do complexo multiproteico denominado inflamassoma que culmina na ativação da caspase-1, com consequente clivagem da forma inativa das citocinas pró-inflamatórias IL-1b e IL-18 e morte da célula infectada. Neste trabalho pudemos observar que in vitro, a maturação de BMDCs com a estimulação com flagelina citosólica, inserida em vesículas lipídicas que permitem a transfecção da flagelina para o citosol, foi independente da ativação de NLRC4, caspase-1 e TLR5, mas somente de MyD88. Já a ativação de linfócitos T por estas BMDCs ativadas por flagelina citosólica é dependente de caspase-1 e MyD88. A neutralização da citocina IL-1a, levou à inibição da ativação de linfócitos T, indicando a contribuição desta para a montagem de resposta imune. A neutralização de IL-1a também levou a uma redução na produção de IL-12, que seria a citocina responsável pela polarização dos linfócitos para Th1. A imunização com flagelina leva ao desenvolvimento de imunidade protetora contra o desafio com S. typhimurium, igualmente dependente de caspase-1 e MyD88. Podemos dizer que a flagelina induz resposta imune tanto in vivo quanto in vitro e que, em ambos os casos, há a participação das moléculas caspase-1 e MyD88. / TLR5 activates inflammatory genes through MyD88 pathway whereas NLRC4 and NAIP5 assemble multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes, leading to caspase-1 activation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and IL-18. Cytosolic flagellin (FLA-BSDot) induced upregulation of costimulatory molecules independent on TLR5, NLRC4 and Caspase-1, but dependent on MyD88. In addition, FLA-BSDot-stimulated OVA-pulsed BMDCs induced proliferation and production of IFN by OT-II splenocytes, dependent on caspase-1 and MyD88. FLA-BSDot stimulation leads to the secretion of IL-1 and IL-1. Neutralization of IL-1 inhibited BMDCs maturation in response to FLA-BSDot and led to decreased IFN production by OT-II splenocytes. Searching for the effector mechanism by which IL-1 induces Th1 polarization in response to FLA-BSDot, we observed a significant reduction in IL-12 production when IL-1 was neutralized. Also, we could see that adaptive immune responses induced by flagellin in vivo was protective against S.typhimurium lethal challenge, showing again a role for caspase-1 and MyD88. From these data we can infer that caspase-1 and MyD88 are both involved in the adaptive response induced by flagelin both in vitro and in vivo.

O reconhecimento da flagelina pelos NLRs Naip5 e NLRC4 leva à formação do complexo multiproteico denominado inflamassoma que culmina na ativação da caspase-1, com consequente clivagem da forma inativa das citocinas pró-inflamatórias IL-1b e IL-18 e morte da célula infectada. Neste trabalho pudemos observar que in vitro, a maturação de BMDCs com a estimulação com flagelina citosólica, inserida em vesículas lipídicas que permitem a transfecção da flagelina para o citosol, foi independente da ativação de NLRC4, caspase-1 e TLR5, mas somente de MyD88. Já a ativação de linfócitos T por estas BMDCs ativadas por flagelina citosólica é dependente de caspase-1 e MyD88. A neutralização da citocina IL-1a, levou à inibição da ativação de linfócitos T, indicando a contribuição desta para a montagem de resposta imune. A neutralização de IL-1a também levou a uma redução na produção de IL-12, que seria a citocina responsável pela polarização dos linfócitos para Th1. A imunização com flagelina leva ao desenvolvimento de imunidade protetora contra o desafio com S. typhimurium, igualmente dependente de caspase-1 e MyD88. Podemos dizer que a flagelina induz resposta imune tanto in vivo quanto in vitro e que, em ambos os casos, há a participação das moléculas caspase-1 e MyD88. / TLR5 activates inflammatory genes through MyD88 pathway whereas NLRC4 and NAIP5 assemble multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes, leading to caspase-1 activation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and IL-18. Cytosolic flagellin (FLA-BSDot) induced upregulation of costimulatory molecules independent on TLR5, NLRC4 and Caspase-1, but dependent on MyD88. In addition, FLA-BSDot-stimulated OVA-pulsed BMDCs induced proliferation and production of IFN by OT-II splenocytes, dependent on caspase-1 and MyD88. FLA-BSDot stimulation leads to the secretion of IL-1 and IL-1. Neutralization of IL-1 inhibited BMDCs maturation in response to FLA-BSDot and led to decreased IFN production by OT-II splenocytes. Searching for the effector mechanism by which IL-1 induces Th1 polarization in response to FLA-BSDot, we observed a significant reduction in IL-12 production when IL-1 was neutralized. Also, we could see that adaptive immune responses induced by flagellin in vivo was protective against S.typhimurium lethal challenge, showing again a role for caspase-1 and MyD88. From these data we can infer that caspase-1 and MyD88 are both involved in the adaptive response induced by flagelin both in vitro and in vivo.

Inflammation plays a crucial role in protecting the host from infection and tissue injury. However, uncontrolled inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of major auto-inflammatory diseases. Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokine, is a pivotal mediator of many of these diseases. The best characterised IL-1 family members, IL-1α and IL-1β, are produced as precursor forms of 31 kDa in size. Both precursors are cleaved and secreted, activating transmembrane IL-1 receptors on IL-1-responsive cells. Many studies that focused on IL-1α have shown that the precursor and processed mature Ct peptide, as well as its N terminus (Nt) form, can elicit a signal. However, with IL-1β, only the processed mature Ct form is known to elicit an inflammatory response and no immunological activity has been attributed to Nt fragments of pro-IL-1β. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to produce recombinant human Nt-IL-1β fragments in bacterial and mammalian expression system to investigate their possible immunomodulatory functions. Recombinant His-tagged N-terminus fragments (10 and 14 kDa) of pro-IL-1β were cloned into the bacterial expression vector pET-22(+) and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) followed by purification using three consecutive columns (IMAC, SEC and AEC). Purification analysis of eluted proteins from columns indicated that the recombinant proteins were always co-purified with some other bacterial proteins. The Nt fragments of pro-IL-1β were cloned into the mammalian expression plasmid, pcDNA3.1(+). Expression of these proteins was monitored by transfection of two mammalian cell lines: Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) 293 cells and monkey kidney cells (COS-7). No protein expression was observed with either construct. These limitations urged us to investigate the expression and degradation of endogenous IL-1 in vitro. Previous studies have shown that the transcription of cytokine genes in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is usually rapid and begins to decline within a few hours after stimulation. The proteasome is the major cellular proteolytic apparatus and controls the turn-over of cellular proteins. We investigated the intracellular stability of IL-1α and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated mouse J774 macrophages and primary mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs). Exposure of LPS-stimulated J774 and BMDMs to three different classes of proteasome inhibitors (peptide alhedyde (ALLN), peptide boronate (MG262) and non-peptide inhibitor (β-lactone)) prevented the degradation of intracellular IL-1α and IL-1β in a concentration and time dependent manner. Furthermore, the release of IL-1 into the culture media was not affected by any of these inhibitors in LPS-stimulated J774 cells. However, in LPS-stimulated BMDMs, β-lactone increased the release of both IL-1α and IL-1β and ALLN only increased IL-1α release into culture supernatant compared to control. MG262 had no effect on the release of either. These data suggest that the proteasome plays an important role in controlling the amount of IL-1α and IL-1β by restricting the intracellular levels of these cytokines in activated monocytes and macrophages. Therefore, this study provides evidence in support of the hypothesis that the proteasome is involved in the degradation of IL-1α and IL-1β and may offer a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases.