Citation

Infection-associated pregnancy complications cause premature delivery. Caspase-1 is involved in the maturation of interleukin (IL)-1, which is activated by the NLRP3 inflammasome. To characterize the significance of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the placenta, the effects of activators and inhibitors on NLRP3-related molecules were examined using isolated primary trophoblasts. Caspase-1 and IL-1 mRNA expression was markedly increased in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a toll-like receptor (TLR)4 ligand. Treatment with the potassium ionophore nigericin significantly increased the level of activated caspase-1. Treatment with either LPS or nigericin stimulated IL-1 secretion, whereas pretreatment with the ATP-sensitive K(+) channel inhibitor glibenclamide, the Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase inhibitor Y-27632, or a caspase-1 inhibitor significantly decreased nigericin-induced IL-1 secretion. In addition, dibutyryl-cAMP, which induces trophoblast differentiation, decreased expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1. These findings suggest that trophoblasts can secrete IL-1 through the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway, which is suppressed by glibenclamide, and that the TLR4-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome pathway is more likely to be stimulated in undifferentiated than differentiated trophoblasts. Our data support the hypothesis that inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome can suppress placental inflammation-associated disorders.