GSDMD in peripheral myeloid cells regulates microglial immune training and neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease

Bingwei Wang1, Yan Ma1, Sheng Li2

  • 1School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.

PubMed

Insights

Peripheral bacterial infections can worsen Parkinson's disease (PD) by training immune cells in the brain. Targeting GSDMD in myeloid cells may offer a new therapeutic strategy for infection-related PD.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Peripheral bacterial infections are linked to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis.
  • These infections can promote microglial immune training and neuroinflammation, but the mediating mechanisms are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how peripheral environmental changes mediate microglial training and exacerbate infection-related PD.
  • To identify the role of Gasdermin D (GSDMD) in this process.

Main Methods:

  • Mice were primed with low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
  • GSDMD activation was assessed in the spleen and central nervous system (CNS).
  • The impact of GSDMD in peripheral myeloid cells on microglial training, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration was evaluated, including IL-1R dependency.
  • Pharmacological inhibition of GSDMD was tested in experimental PD models.

Main Results:

  • GSDMD activation was enhanced in the spleen but not the CNS of LPS-primed mice.
  • GSDMD in peripheral myeloid cells promoted microglial immune training.
  • This exacerbation of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration was dependent on IL-1R.
  • Pharmacological GSDMD inhibition alleviated PD symptoms in experimental models.

Conclusions:

  • GSDMD-induced pyroptosis in peripheral myeloid cells initiates neuroinflammation by regulating microglial training in infection-related PD.
  • GSDMD represents a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease.