Inflammasome generation and toxicity of nano-fibers.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies
• Principal Investigator: Hirano Seishiro 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 環境リスク研究センター, 室長 (20150162)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 粒子状物質 / マクロファージ / エンドサイトーシス / 貪食レセプター / インフラマゾーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to reveal how fibrous particulate substances induce inflammasome and inflammation including IL-1beta production in macrophages. This author first investigated the internalization of fibrous particles via a phagocytic receptor and found that the fibers were taken up by the cells via micropinocytosis as well as phagocytosis. Co-exposure to lipopolysaccharide and fibrous titanium dioxide nano-fibers significantly increased release of IL-1beta in macrophages. When, lysosomal function was artificially deteriorated by chemicals such as ammonium carbonate, bafilomycin, and chloroquine, the amount of LC3-II and the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio were increased and this increase was strongly associated with that of p62/SQSTM1, suggesting that autophagy is involved in the inflammasome formation.

Free Research Field

環境毒性学