title: Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) expressed in human dental pulp mediates IL-1β secretion in response to cytoplasmic DNA.
abstract: The inflammasome has been determined to play an important role in inflammatory diseases in recent years. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), an inflammasome that recognizes cytoplasmic DNA, has recently been identified as a critical regulator of immune responses. In this study, we explored whether AIM2 was expressed in human dental pulp and defined the role of AIM2 in regulating interleukin (IL)-1β secretion. We demonstrated that AIM2 was only detected in the odontoblast layer of healthy dental pulp, whereas strong expression was observed in inflamed dental pulp. Stimulation with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and cytoplasmic DNA significantly activated the AIM2 inflammasome and increased IL-1β secretion in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the knockdown of AIM2 downregulated both cleaved-caspase-1 expression and IL-1β release in HDPCs. These results suggest that AIM2 expressed in human dental pulp plays an important role in the immune defense by activating the inflammasome signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510055, China.
authors.forename: Shuheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Runfu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Pengcheng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhengmei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000378:metabolism; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C410167:AIM2 protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C508585:IL1B protein, human; D058847:Inflammasomes; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D004247:DNA; D020170:Caspase 1