the AIM2 inflammasome is involved in macrophage activation during infection with virulent Mycobacterium bovis strain.
BACKGROUND
Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, infects host macrophages and triggers production of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β (IL-1β). The mechanism by which macrophages become activated and secrete IL-1β in tuberculosis has not yet been elucidated.


METHODS
In this study, we investigated the role of the absence in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome in IL-1β release from macrophages infected with pathogenic M. bovis strain.


RESULTS
We found that the AIM2 inflammasome activation is involved in the production of IL-1β in primary and immortalized mouse macrophage upon M. bovis infection; that the activation process requires cytoplasmic potassium efflux, mycobacterial internalization, but not reactive oxygen species (ROS) or IFN-β release; that the AIM2 inflammasome contributes to the synthesis of proinflammatory and chemotatic factors in M. bovis-infected macrophages; and that the activation of the AIM2 inflammasome is due, at least in part, to mycobacterial translocation into the cytosol.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the AIM2 inflammasome is involved in macrophage activation during infection with virulent M. bovis strain. To our knowledge, this is the first evidences for the involvement of the AIM2 inflammasome in M. bovis infection.
['Yang|Yang|Y|', 'Zhou|Xiangmei|X|', 'Kouadir|Mohammed|M|', 'Shi|Fushan|F|', 'Ding|Tianjian|T|', 'Liu|Chunfa|C|', 'Liu|Jin|J|', 'Wang|Min|M|', 'Yang|Lifeng|L|', 'Yin|Xiaomin|X|', 'Zhao|Deming|D|']
D000818:Animals D020170:Caspase 1 D002417:Cattle D002460:Cell Line D016207:Cytokines D003600:Cytosol D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins D058847:Inflammasomes D053583:Interleukin-1beta D008262:Macrophage Activation D008264:Macrophages D051379:Mice D009163:Mycobacterium bovis D009687:Nuclear Proteins D010588:Phagosomes D011188:Potassium D012333:RNA, Messenger D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species D015398:Signal Transduction D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine D015854:Up-Regulation D014774:Virulence
AIM2 inflammasome macrophage IL-1β M. bovis