NAD⁺ prevents septic shock-induced death by non-canonical inflammasome blockade and IL-10 cytokine production in macrophages.

Abstract

Septic shock is characterized by an excessive inflammatory response depicted in a cytokine storm that results from invasive bacterial, fungi, protozoa, and viral infections. Non-canonical inflammasome activation is crucial in the development of septic shock promoting pyroptosis and proinflammatory cytokine production via caspase-11 and gasdermin D (GSDMD). Here, we show that NAD⁺ treatment protected mice toward bacterial and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxic shock by blocking the non-canonical inflammasome specifically. NAD⁺ administration impeded systemic IL-1β and IL-18 production and GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis of macrophages via the IFN-β/STAT-1 signaling machinery. More importantly, NAD⁺ administration not only improved casp-11 KO (knockout) survival but rendered wild type (WT) mice completely resistant to septic shock via the IL-10 signaling pathway that was independent from the non-canonical inflammasome. Here, we delineated a two-sided effect of NAD⁺ blocking septic shock through a specific inhibition of the non-canonical inflammasome and promoting immune homeostasis via IL-10, underscoring its unique therapeutic potential.