Proximal tubules from caspase-1-deficient mice are protected against hypoxia-induced membrane injury

Caspase-1 is a proinflammatory caspase via activation of the cytokine IL-18. We have recently demonstrated that the caspase-1-mediated production of IL-18 plays a deleterious role in ischaemic acute renal failure (ARF) which is independent of neutrophils and CD4+ T cells. The role of caspase-1 in hypoxia-induced membrane injury of proximal tubules (PT) in vitro is unknown.

Freshly isolated mouse PT exposed to 25 min of hypoxia were used to study the role of caspases, caspase-1 and IL-18 in hypoxia-induced membrane injury. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the PT medium was used as a biochemical parameter of cell membrane damage. IL-18 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting.

PT pre-incubated with the novel pancaspase inhibitor IDN-8050 were protected; LDH release (%) was 35+/-3 in vehicle-treated hypoxic PT and 21+/-2 in IDN-8050-treated hypoxic PT (P<0.01, n=6). To investigate the mechanism of protection and examine the role of caspase-1 specifically, PT were isolated in parallel from wild-type and caspase-1- deficient (-/-) mice. PT from caspase-1-/-mice demonstrated less hypoxia-induced membrane injury. LDH release was 37+/-2 in wild-type hypoxic PT and 28+/-2 in caspase-1-/-hypoxic PT (P<0.01, n=12). IL-18 was detected in PT by immunoblotting and ELISA. PT pre-incubated with IL-18 binding protein, an inhibitor of IL-18, were not protected.

These studies demonstrate a deleterious effect of the proinflammatory caspase, caspase-1, on PT in vitro in the absence of inflammatory cells and vascular effects.