Prolyl Isomerase Pin1 Protects Mice from Endotoxin Shock

BACKGROUND: Prolyl isomerase Pin1 may be involved in innate immunity against microbial infection, but the mechanism how Pin1 controls the innate immunity is poorly understood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the mice induces inflammatory pulmonary disorder and sometimes the serious damages lead to death. Comparing to the wild-type (WT) mice, the Pin1(−/−) mice showed more serious damages in lung and the lower survival rate after the LPS injection. We compared the levels of typical inflammatory cytokines. Pin1(−/−) mice overreacted to the LPS injection to produce inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-6 more than WT mice. We showed that Pin1 binds phosphorylated PU.1 and they localize together in a nucleus. These results suggest that Pin1 controls the transcriptional activity of PU.1 and suppresses overreaction of macrophage that causes serious damages in lung. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Pin1 may protect the mice from serious inflammation by LPS injection by attenuating the increase of IL-6 transcription of the mouse macrophages.