Gasdermins mediate cellular release of mitochondrial DNA during pyroptosis and apoptosis.

Pyroptosis and intrinsic apoptosis are two forms of regulated cell death driven by active caspases where plasma membrane permeabilization is induced by gasdermin pores. Caspase-1 induces gasdermin D pore formation during pyroptosis, whereas caspase-3 promotes gasdermin E pore formation during apoptosis. These two types of cell death are accompanied by mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization due to BAK/BAX pore formation in the external membrane of mitochondria, and to some extent, this complex also affects the inner mitochondrial membrane facilitating mitochondrial DNA relocalization from the matrix to the cytosol. However, the detailed mechanism responsible for this process has not been investigated. Herein, we reported that gasdermin processing is required to induce mitochondrial DNA release from cells during pyroptosis and apoptosis. Gasdermin targeted at the plasma membrane promotes a fast mitochondrial collapse along with the initial accumulation of mitochondrial DNA in the cytosol and then facilitates the DNA's release from the cell when the plasma membrane ruptures. These findings demonstrate that gasdermin action has a critical effect on the plasma membrane and facilitates the release of mitochondrial DNA as a damage-associated molecular pattern.