IAPP/amylin deposition, which is correlated with expressions of ASC and IL-1β in β-cells of Langerhans’ islets, directly initiates NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Recent findings revealed that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic inflammatory disease and an islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP)/amylin, is deposited within pancreatic islets. IAPP/amylin has been reported to activate NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in infiltrated macrophages. NLRP3, an intracellular pattern recognition receptor, has been shown to recognize pathogens and/or metabolites and complexes with the adopter protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain ASC to form a huge complex, called an inflammasome, an interleukin (IL)-1β-processing platform. Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reported to be involved in activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, we were hypothesized that IAPP could directly activate NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to islets β-cell death. We analyzed expression of the inflammasome components ASC, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, IAPP/amylin, and insulin immunohistochemically in Langerhans’ islets of autopsy cases. The initial event of NLRP3 inflammasome activation was assessed using a cell-free system consisting of NLRP3 and ASC with the amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay. IAPP/amylin deposition in Langerhans’ islets was detected and significantly correlated with expressions of IL-1β and ASC. IAPP/amylin directly interacted with NLRP3 and initiated an interaction between NLRP3 and ASC in a cell-free system. The deposition of IAPP/amylin in β-cells of Langerhans’ islets may act together with the expression level of an inflammasome component, ASC, to regulate IL-1β processing, and directly lead to the dysfunction of β-cells. The interaction between IAPP/amylin and NLRP3 could be an attractive drug target to avoid both inflammation and β-cell death for T2D therapy.