Impaired NLRP3 inflammasome function in elderly mice during influenza infection is rescued by treatment with nigericin.

ABSTRACT: The NLRP3 inflammasome is activated in the lung during influenza viral infection; however, the impact of aging on inflammasome function during influenza infection has not been examined. In this study, we show that elderly mice infected with a mouse-adapted strain of influenza produced lower levels of IL-1β during in vitro and in vivo infection. Dendritic cells from elderly mice exhibited decreased expression of ASC, NLRP3, and capase-1 but increased expression of pro-IL-1β, pro-IL-18, and pro-IL-33 compared with dendritic cells from young infected mice. Treatment with nigericin during influenza infection augmented IL-1β production, increased caspase-1 activity, and decreased morbidity and mortality in elderly mice. Our study demonstrates for the first time, to our knowledge, that during in

SUBMITTER: Stout-Delgado HW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3294083 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature