Identification and validation of uterine stimulant methylergometrine as a potential inhibitor of caspase-1 activation

Autores de CIPF

• 

  Mónica Sancho Medina

  Autor

• 

  Maria Mar Orzáez Calatayud

  Autor

Participantes ajenos a CIPF

• Garcia-Lainez, G
• Garcia-Bayarri, V

Grupos de Investigación

• Laboratorio de Terapias Dirigidas en Cáncer e Inflamación

  

  Jefe/a de Grupo

  Maria Mar Orzáez Calatayud

Abstract

Inflammasomes are intracellular multiprotein complexes of the innate immune system. Upon an inflammatory insult, such as infection or intracellular damage, a nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) sensor protein and the adaptor protein ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain) are assembled to activate protease procaspase-1. This protease processes pro-IL-1 beta and pro-IL-18 cytokines, which are released to induce the inflammatory response. De-regulation of inflammasome contributes to the progression of several diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. We herein describe the identification of methylergometrine (MEM), a drug currently used as a smooth muscle constrictor during postpartum hemorrhage, as an inhibitor of the inflammasome complex in ASC-mediated procaspase-1 activation screening. MEM inhibits the activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes in cellular models upon different pro-inflammatory stimuli. Our results suggest that MEM has the potential to reposition in the treatment of inflammatory diseases with the advantages of established safety and clinical data.

Keywords

• Caspase-1 inhibitor; Ergometrine; Inflammasome inhibitor; Inflammation; Methylergometrine