Integrin α5β1 Activates the NLRP3 Inflammasome by Direct Interaction with a Bacterial Surface Protein

SummaryIntegrins are cell-surface heterodimeric glycoproteins composed of alpha and beta subunits that mediate cell-cell, cell-extracellular matrix, and cell-pathogen interactions. In this study, we report a specific role of integrin α5β1 in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages stimulated by Td92, a surface protein of the periodontopathogen, Treponema denticola. The direct interaction of Td92 with the cell membrane integrin α5β1 resulted in ATP release and K+ efflux, which are the main events in NLRP3 activation. This interaction was arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)-independent, and Td92 internalization was not required for the activity. An integrin α5β1 antibody and oxATP, an ATP receptor antagonist, inhibited NLRP3 expression, caspase-1 activation, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion, and proIL-1β synthesis, all of which were regulated by NF-κB activation. Therefore, our data has identified the integrin α5β1 as a principal cell membrane receptor for both NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β transcription by a bacterial protein, which could exaggerate inflammation, a characteristic of periodontitis.

► Td92 of the periodontopathogen Treponema denticola activates the NLRP3 inflammasome
► Direct interaction between Td92 and integrin α5β1 is required for NLRP3 activation
► ATP release and K+ efflux by Td92 are the major mechanisms for NLRP3 activation
► Intracellular delivery of Td92 is not required for NLRP3 inflammasome activation