cAMP metabolism controls caspase-11 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in sepsis.

Abstract

The ability of cytosolic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to activate caspase-11-dependent nonclassical inflammasome is intricately controlled to avoid excessive inflammatory responses. However, very little is known about the regulatory role of various metabolic pathways in the control of caspase-11 activation. Here, we demonstrate that l-adrenaline can act on receptor ADRA2B to inhibit the activation of the caspase-11 inflammasome by cytosolic LPS or <i>Escherichia coli</i> infection in macrophages. l-adrenaline-induced cAMP production via the enzyme ADCY4 promotes protein kinase A (PKA) activation, which then blocks the caspase-11-mediated proteolytic maturation of interleukin-1β, gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage, and consequent DAMP release. Inhibition of PDE8A-mediated cAMP hydrolysis limits caspase-11 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in macrophages. Consequently, pharmacological modulation of the ADRA2B-ADCY4-PDE8A-PKA axis, knockout of <i>caspase-11</i> (<i>Casp11^-/-</i> ), or <i>Gsdmd</i> inactivation (<i>Gsdmd^I105N/I105N</i> ) similarly protects against LPS-induced lethality in poly(I:C)-primed mice. Our results provide previously unidentified mechanistic insight into immune regulation by cAMP and represent a proof of concept that immunometabolism constitutes a potential therapeutic target in sepsis.