Inflammasome activation due to polymerized actin triggers an autoinflammatory disease that is dependent on IL-18, not IL-1β — ASN Events

Inflammasome activation due to polymerized actin triggers an autoinflammatory disease that is dependent on IL-18, not IL-1β (#126)

Man Lyang Kim 1 , Jae Jin Chae 2 , Ros A Stirzaker 1 , Hyun-Ja Ko 1 , Andrew W Roberts 1 , Daniel L Kastner 2 , Ben T Kile 1 , Ben A Croker 3 , Seth L Masters 1
  1. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  2. Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
  3. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Here, we have characterized the first known auto-inflammatory disease caused by interleukin-18 (IL-18). This is due to a point mutation in the gene Wdr1, which is required for disassembly of actin filaments in conjunction with ADF/cofilin family proteins. Mice homozygous for this mutation (Wdr1rd/rd) develop severe autoinflammation in the ears and tail due to an intracellular build up of polymerized actin. The serum IL-18 level was significantly elevated in Wdr1rd/rd mice, compared to littermate controls. Processing and secretion of IL-18 and IL-1β is induced by caspase-1 via activation of the inflammasome complex. Importantly, a delayed onset of the disease was seen in Wdr1rd/rd mice lacking caspase-1, the inflammasome adaptor ASC or IL-18 itself. In contrast, the time of onset and severity of the inflammatory disease was not altered by a deficiency of IL-1R, G-CSF, interferon γ (IFNγ) or tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), suggesting that the inflammatory disease was driven by an IL-18 specific inflammasome. Furthermore, we are able to show ex vivo and in vivo, that this IL-18 production specifically comes from monocytes, but not mature macrophages. Overall, our data reveal the mechanism and biological basis of a mouse model of spontaneous sterile inflammatory disease driven by IL-18 but not IL-1.