Caspase-8 modulates dectin-1 and complement receptor 3-driven IL-1β production in response to β-glucans and the fungal pathogen, Candida albicans

J Immunol. 2014 Sep 1;193(5):2519-2530. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400276. Epub 2014 Jul 25.

Abstract

Inflammasomes are central mediators of host defense to a wide range of microbial pathogens. The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing family (NLR), pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a key role in triggering caspase-1-dependent IL-1β maturation and resistance to fungal dissemination in Candida albicans infection. β-Glucans are major components of fungal cell walls that trigger IL-1β secretion in both murine and human immune cells. In this study, we sought to determine the contribution of β-glucans to C. albicans-induced inflammasome responses in mouse dendritic cells. We show that the NLRP3-apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing caspase recruitment domain protein-caspase-1 inflammasome is absolutely critical for IL-1β production in response to β-glucans. Interestingly, we also found that both complement receptor 3 (CR3) and dectin-1 play a crucial role in coordinating β-glucan-induced IL-1β processing as well as a cell death response. In addition to the essential role of caspase-1, we identify an important role for the proapoptotic protease caspase-8 in promoting β-glucan-induced cell death and NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent IL-1β maturation. A strong requirement for CR3 and caspase-8 also was found for NLRP3-dependent IL-1β production in response to heat-killed C. albicans. Taken together, these results define the importance of dectin-1, CR3, and caspase-8, in addition to the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome, in mediating β-glucan- and C. albicans-induced innate responses in dendritic cells. Collectively, these findings establish a novel link between β-glucan recognition receptors and the inflammatory proteases caspase-8 and caspase-1 in coordinating cytokine secretion and cell death in response to immunostimulatory fungal components.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Candida albicans / genetics
  • Candida albicans / immunology*
  • Candidiasis / genetics
  • Candidiasis / immunology*
  • Candidiasis / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / immunology
  • Caspase 8 / genetics
  • Caspase 8 / immunology*
  • Cell Death / genetics
  • Cell Death / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology
  • Fungal Polysaccharides / genetics
  • Fungal Polysaccharides / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1beta / genetics
  • Interleukin-1beta / immunology*
  • Lectins, C-Type / genetics
  • Lectins, C-Type / immunology*
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen / genetics
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • beta-Glucans / immunology*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Fungal Polysaccharides
  • IL1B protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • beta-Glucans
  • dectin 1
  • Casp8 protein, mouse
  • Caspase 8