title: Glucocorticoids sensitize the innate immune system through regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
abstract: Glucocorticoids have long been recognized as powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that are one of the most widely prescribed classes of drugs in the world. However, their role in the regulation of innate immunity is not well understood. We sought to examine the effects of glucocorticoids on the NOD-like receptors (NLRs), a central component of the inflammasome and innate immunity. Surprisingly, we show that glucocorticoids induce both NLRP3 messenger RNA and protein, which is a critical component of the inflammasome. The glucocorticoid-dependent induction of NLRP3 sensitizes the cells to extracellular ATP and significantly enhances the ATP-mediated release of proinflammatory molecules, including mature IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. This effect was specific for glucocorticoids and dependent on the glucocorticoid receptor. These studies demonstrate a novel role for glucocorticoids in sensitizing the initial inflammatory response by the innate immune system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Department of Health and Human Services, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Busillo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Respiratory Biology, Department of Health and Human Services, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Azzam
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Department of Health and Human Services, NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709. Electronic address: cidlows1@niehs.nih.gov.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cidlowski
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human; C492716:Nlrp3 protein, mouse; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate