USP22 inhibits microglial M1 polarization by regulating the PU.1/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 22 (USP22) on the inflammatory response mediated by BV-2 mouse microglia and explore the role of the PU box binding protein 1 (PU.1)/NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in the USP22-induced polarization of BV-2 cells.

The BV-2 mouse microglia line was cultured in vitro, and plasmid and siRNA transfection was performed to overexpress or knockdown USP22. Subsequently, BV-2 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-4 to induce M1 and M2 polarization, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of USP22, PU.1, M1 polarization markers [inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cluster of differentiation (CD) 86], M2 polarization markers [arginase 1 (Arg1), and CD206], in BV-2 cells from different treatment groups. Additionally, measurement was performed on the inflammasome NLRP3, and its activation-related proteins [NIMA-related kinase7 (NEK7), cleaved-caspase 1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC)]. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay was employed to determine the levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-1 β, and IL-10 in the cells. Furthermore, immunofluorescence was utilized to analyze the levels of iNOS and Arg1-positive BV-2 cells in different treatment groups. Moreover, the ubiquitination level of PU.1 was detected using immunoprecipitation.

The protein expression level of USP22 was significantly down-regulated in BV-2 cells treated with M1 polarization. Overexpression of USP22 remarkably reduced the protein levels of iNOS and CD86, but markedly increased the protein levels of Arg1 and CD206 in cells. Besides, there was a notable reduction in the levels of TNF-α and IL-1 β in the cell culture medium, while a remarkable increase was observed in the level of IL-10. Additionally, the level of iNOS-positive cells was significantly decreased, while the level of Arg1-positive cells was considerably increased. However, up-regulation of PU.1 expression could reverse the above results and promoted the expression of NLRP3 and its activation-related proteins. Notably, overexpression of USP22 significantly down-regulated the protein expression and ubiquitination level of PU.1.

USP22 inhibits the M1 polarization of BV-2 mouse microglia. The PU.1/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway may be a critical regulatory pathway of USP22 in BV-2 cell polarization.