Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Refined Murine Model of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
07:51

Refined Murine Model of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Published on: June 17, 2025

929

DROSHA-Dependent AIM2 Inflammasome Activation Contributes to Lung Inflammation during Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Soo Jung Cho1,2, Kyoung Sook Hong1,2,3, Ji Hun Jeong4

  • 1Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10011, USA.

Cells
|August 23, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Drosha ribonuclease III (DROSHA) regulates the absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome, a key driver of lung inflammation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This study reveals DROSHA

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology
  • Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) involves chronic lung inflammation.
  • Drosha ribonuclease III (DROSHA) is crucial for microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis.
  • The role of DROSHA in IPF-related lung inflammation is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of DROSHA in regulating absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome activation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which DROSHA influences lung inflammation in IPF.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed DROSHA and AIM2 protein expression in alveolar macrophages from IPF patients and a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
  • Evaluated the impact of DROSHA deficiency on AIM2 inflammasome activation, caspase-1 cleavage, and cytokine secretion (IL-1β, IL-18) in macrophages.
  • Investigated the effect of miRNA transduction on ASC speck formation and AIM2 inflammasome activation.

Main Results:

  • Elevated DROSHA and AIM2 protein levels were observed in alveolar macrophages of IPF patients and in a mouse model.
  • DROSHA deficiency attenuated AIM2 inflammasome activation, caspase-1 cleavage, and IL-1β/IL-18 secretion.
  • miRNA transduction promoted ASC speck formation, a prerequisite for AIM2 inflammasome activation.

Conclusions:

  • DROSHA plays a significant role in promoting AIM2 inflammasome-dependent lung inflammation in IPF.
  • Targeting the DROSHA-AIM2 inflammasome pathway may offer therapeutic strategies for IPF.
Keywords:
AIM2 inflammasomeDROSHAidiopathic pulmonary fibrosismiRNA

More Related Videos

Oropharyngeal Administration of Bleomycin in the Murine Model of Pulmonary Fibrosis06:03

Oropharyngeal Administration of Bleomycin in the Murine Model of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Published on: May 9, 2025

1.6K
Adoptive Transfer of IL-33-Stimulated Macrophages into Bleomycin-Induced Mouse Models to Study Their Effect on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo06:29

Adoptive Transfer of IL-33-Stimulated Macrophages into Bleomycin-Induced Mouse Models to Study Their Effect on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo

Published on: May 5, 2023

3.0K

Related Concept Videos

Lung Capacity01:47

Lung Capacity

The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.
56.1K
Inflammation01:38

Inflammation

Overview
61.8K
Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence01:23

Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence

Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing...
1.7K
Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence01:23

Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence

David Wechsler, a psychologist who worked with World War I veterans, developed a significant IQ test in 1939 called the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. This test was innovative because it combined several subtests that measured both verbal and nonverbal skills, reflecting Wechsler's belief that intelligence is a global capacity involving purposeful action, rational thinking, and effective interaction with the environment. This test later evolved into the Wechsler Adult Intelligence...
2.0K
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis01:23

Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive disorder, significantly affects the function of exocrine glands. This genetically inherited disease is characterized by the production of thick and sticky mucus, which can severely affect various organs and systems in the body.
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...
738
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
23.1K