NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Hemodialysis and Hypertensive Patients with Intact Kidney Function

Hypertension is not only an integrative characteristic of hemodialysis (HD) patients but is also very common in the general population. There is evidence that the inflammatory cytokine IL-β, regulated by the NLRP3 inflammasome via caspase-1, contributes to the hypertensive setting. Therefore, we investigated in an observational pilot study whether IL-1β secretion and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis) are different in HD and hypertensive patients with intact kidney function. Twenty HD patients were age-, gender-, and diabetes-mellitus-matched to patients with hypertension and intact kidney function. Caspase-1 activity and pyroptosis rates were measured by flow cytometry. IL-1β was determined by qPCR and the ELISA technique. The inflammatory status (CRP) did not differ between both groups; however, the body mass index, a classical cardiovascular risk factor, was significantly elevated in blood pressure (BP) patients. BP patients had a higher frequency of caspase-1-positive monocytes compared to HD (p < 0.001). IL1-β protein secretion was significantly enhanced in BP, but ex vivo stimulation of blood cells resulted in higher pyroptosis rates in HD compared to BP patients (p < 0.01). Therefore, HD and BP patients differ in the extent of the NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The consequences of overweight, present in BP patients, may contribute to the significantly higher inflammasomal induction level. Whether low pyroptotic rates are equivalent to a dysfunctional immune response or a high pyroptotic output corresponds to over-activation remains to be clarified.