Spatiotemporal evolution of pyroptosis and canonical inflammasome pathway in hSOD1^G93A ALS mouse model

Evidences indicate that inflammasome compounds participate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal progressive motoneuron degenerative disease. Researchers have observed the expressions of nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) related inflammasome components in specific regions of the central nervous system in different ALS models, but the cellular spatiotemporal evolution of this canonical inflammasome pathway and pyroptosis during ALS progression are unclear.

The spinal cords of hSOD1^G93A mice (ALS mice) and age-matched littermates (CON mice) were dissected at pre-symptomatic stage (60 d), early- symptomatic stage (95 d), symptomatic stage (108 d) and late-symptomatic stage (122 d) of the disease. By using Nissl staining, double immunofluorescence labelling, qRT-PCR or western blot, we detected morphology change and the expression, cellular location of GSDMD, NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β in the ventral horn of lumbar spinal cords over the course of disease.

Neural morphology changes and GSDMD⁺/NeuN⁺ double positive cells were observed in ventral horn from ALS mice even at 60 d of age, even though there were no changes of GSDMD mRNA and protein expressions at this stage compared with CON mice. With disease progression, compared with age-matched CON mice, increased expressions of GSDMD, NLRP3, activated caspase-1 and IL-1β were detected. Double immunofluorescence labeling revealed that NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β positive signals mainly localized in ventral horn neurons at pre- and early-symptomatic stages. From symptomatic stage to late-symptomatic stage, robust positive signals were co-expressed in reactive astrocytes and microglia.

Early activation of the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome induced pyroptosis in ventral horn neurons, which may participate in motor neuron degeneration and initiate neuroinflammatory processes during ALS progression.