High glucose mediates NLRP3 inflammasome activation via upregulation of ELF3 expression

Microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) plays a crucial role in the regulation of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, which leads to the generation of bioactive interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. E74-like ETS transcription factor 3 (ELF3) participates in endothelial inflammatory processes. We hypothesized that ELF3 modulates MARK4 expression in vascular endothelial cells, thus contributing to high glucose-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Plasma IL-1β, IL-18, NLRP3 inflammasome and MARK4 expression was increased in diabetic patients and rats. An in vitro study indicated that high glucose increased IL-1β and IL-18 expression and activated the NLRP3 inflammasome via upregulation of MARK4 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, high glucose increased ELF3 expression. ELF3 downregulation reversed the effects of high glucose treatment. Accordingly, the effects of ELF3 overexpression were similar to those of high glucose treatment and were counteracted by siMARK4. Furthermore, ELF3 was found to interact with SET8. High glucose inhibited SET8 expression and histone H4 lysine 20 methylation (H4K20me1), a downstream target of SET8. Overexpression of SET8 inhibited high glucose-induced MARK4 expression and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The effects of shSET8 were similar to those of high glucose treatment and were counteracted by siMARK4. A mechanistic study found that ELF3 and H4K20me1 were enriched in the MARK4 promoter region. si-ELF3 attenuated MARK4 promoter activity and augmented the inhibitory effect of SET8 on MARK4 promoter activity. Furthermore, SET8 downregulation and ELF3 upregulation were confirmed in diabetic patients and rats. In conclusion, ELF3 interacted with SET8 to modulate MARK4 expression, which participated in hyperglycaemia-mediated endothelial NLRP3 inflammasome activation.