Uric acid-mediated inflammasome activation in IL-6 primed innate immune cells is regulated by baricitinib.

OBJECTIVES

Gout is an inflammatory arthropathy caused by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU). The synthesis and release of IL-1β is crucial for MSU-induced synovial inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of MSU crystal-induced autoinflammatory processes.

METHODS

In vitro studies were used to evaluate the role of IL-6 in inflammasome activation in human neutrophils cultured with MSU crystals. Human neutrophils were stimulated with MSU in the presence or absence of IL-6 priming to determine NLRP3 inflammasome activation and subsequent cleaved caspase-1 induction or IL-1β production.

RESULTS

IL-6 or MSU stimulation alone did not result in the efficient IL-1β production from human neutrophils. However, MSU stimulation induced marked IL-1β production from IL-6-primed neutrophils. Pretreatment with baricitinib, which blocks IL-6 receptor signaling, prevented MSU-induced cleaved caspase-1 or IL-1β induction in IL-6-primed neutrophils. Tocilizumab pretreatment also inhibited MSU-mediated IL-1β production from IL-6-primed neutrophils.

CONCLUSION

Priming of human neutrophils with IL-6 promotes uric acid-mediated IL-1β secretion in the absence of microbial stimulation. These results suggest that an endogenous cytokine, IL-6, is involved in MSU-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and subsequent IL-1β production from innate immune cells and has a crucial role in MSU crystal-induced synovial inflammation. These findings provide insights into uric acid-mediated autoinflammation in the innate immune system.