biostudies-literatureXu JNIAID NIH HHSeadl2993https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12020992biostudies-literatureUnknown10(103)The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in innate immunity and inflammatory diseases. NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) is essential for inflammasome activation, and its interaction with NLRP3 is enhanced by K⁺ efflux. However, the mechanism by which K⁺ efflux promotes this interaction remains unknown. Here, we show that NEK7 is rapidly phosphorylated at threonine-190/191 by JNK1 downstream of K⁺ efflux and gasdermin D (GSDMD) after NLRP3 activation. NEK7 phosphorylation enhances the binding between NEK7 and NLRP3, which further promotes inflammasome assembly and activation. Mutant mice and macrophages in which Thr¹⁹⁰ and Thr¹⁹¹ of Nek7 were replaced by valine exhibited impaired NEK7 phosphorylation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and Science immunologyNEK7 phosphorylation amplifies NLRP3 inflammasome activation downstream of potassium efflux and gasdermin D.PMC12020992R01 AI148544R37 AI063331He YOdeh NNunez GSun FZhang LXu JDuan YfalseNEK7 phosphorylation amplifies NLRP3 inflammasome activation downstream of potassium efflux and gasdermin D.The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in innate immunity and inflammatory diseases. NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) is essential for inflammasome activation, and its interaction with NLRP3 is enhanced by K⁺ efflux. However, the mechanism by which K⁺ efflux promotes this interaction remains unknown. Here, we show that NEK7 is rapidly phosphorylated at threonine-190/191 by JNK1 downstream of K⁺ efflux and gasdermin D (GSDMD) after NLRP3 activation. NEK7 phosphorylation enhances the binding between NEK7 and NLRP3, which further promotes inflammasome assembly and activation. Mutant mice and macrophages in which Thr¹⁹⁰ and Thr¹⁹¹ of Nek7 were replaced by valine exhibited impaired NEK7 phosphorylation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jan2026-06-06T19:35:52.078Z2026-06-04T03:11:47.769ZS-EPMC120209923975253710.1126/sciimmunol.adl2993