Pathogens trigger activation of sensors of the innate immune system that initiate molecular signaling enabling appropriate host defense programs. Although recognition of pathogen-specific moieties or PAMPs by specialized receptors of the immune system is well defined for a great number of pathogens, the mechanisms of sensing of pathogen-induced functional perturbations to the host cell remain poorly understood. Here we show that the disruption of endosomal compartments in macrophages by a bacterium or fully synthetic nanoparticles activates stress-response p38MAPK kinase, which triggers execution of cell death of a necrotic type. p38MAPK-mediated necrosis occurs in cells with a compound homozygous deletion of pyroptosis-inducing caspases-1 and -11, apoptotic caspase-8, and necroptosis-inducing receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3), indicating that all of these principal cell death mediators are dispensable for p38MAPK-induced necrosis in response to endosome rupture. p38MAPK-mediated necrosis is suppressed by the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1, RIPK1, and degradation of RIPK1 sensitizes macrophages to necrotic death. Since pathogen-induced cell death of necrotic types is implicated in host defense against infection, our results indicate that functional perturbations in host cells are sensed as a component of the innate immune system.
© 2022. The Author(s).