Xiao Minjun, Gao Ge, Mu Jingjing, Sun Qi, Zhao Yun, Fan Xueli
Department of Neurology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China.
Binzhou Medical University, Binzhou, China.
Inflammation. 2025 Jul 2. doi: 10.1007/s10753-025-02323-3.
MLKL not only plays an important role in necroptosis but also regulates many diseases through non-necrotizing apoptotic function. Many studies have shown that MLKL plays an important role in neuroinflammation, degenerative diseases, and infectious diseases. Multiple sclerosis is an immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease characterized mainly by inflammatory demyelinating lesions of the central nervous system (CNS). At present, few studies have investigated the role of MLKL in regulating necroptosis and neuroinflammation in MS. We aimed to explore the role of MLKL in regulating necroptosis and neuroinflammation and to further elucidate the regulatory mechanisms in a mouse model of MS. An experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) MS mouse model was established, and the mice were divided into two groups (the EAE + NSA group and the EAE group). The two groups of mice were injected with the MLKL inhibitor necrosulfonamide(NSA) or control solution at the same time. We measured the severity of disease using a clinical EAE scoring system. HE staining and LFB staining of the spinal cord were used to observe the infiltration of CNS inflammatory cells and myelination in the two groups of mice. Western blotting was performed to assess the expression of proteins in the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway, the MyD88/NF-κB pathway and the RIPK3/MLKL pathway. Immunofluorescence experiments were performed to observe changes in microglia, astroglia, oligodendrocytes, and related factors. Finally, we analyzed the changes in inflammation in both groups via an ELISA. Blockade of MLKL alleviates clinical symptoms, demyelination and inflammatory cell infiltration in EAE mice. Furthermore, it increased the number of oligodendrocytes, protected axons, decreased the number of activated astrocytes and microglia and reduced inflammation. MLKL inhibitors may ameliorate necroptosis through the RIPK3/MLKL pathway. Blockade of MLKL may exert therapeutic effects by inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway and the MyD88/NF-κB pathway in EAE mice. Blocking MLKL plays a therapeutic role in EAE not only through regulating necroptosis via the RIPK3/MLKL pathway but also through regulating neuroinflammation via the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway and the MyD88/NF-κB pathway.
混合谱系激酶结构域样蛋白(MLKL)不仅在坏死性凋亡中起重要作用,还通过非坏死性凋亡功能调节多种疾病。许多研究表明,MLKL在神经炎症、退行性疾病和传染病中发挥重要作用。多发性硬化症是一种免疫介导的神经退行性疾病,主要特征是中枢神经系统(CNS)的炎性脱髓鞘病变。目前,很少有研究探讨MLKL在调节多发性硬化症坏死性凋亡和神经炎症中的作用。我们旨在探讨MLKL在调节坏死性凋亡和神经炎症中的作用,并进一步阐明其在多发性硬化症小鼠模型中的调控机制。建立实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎(EAE)多发性硬化症小鼠模型,并将小鼠分为两组(EAE + NSA组和EAE组)。两组小鼠同时注射MLKL抑制剂坏死磺酰胺(NSA)或对照溶液。我们使用临床EAE评分系统测量疾病严重程度。对脊髓进行苏木精-伊红(HE)染色和Luxol固蓝(LFB)染色,以观察两组小鼠中枢神经系统炎性细胞浸润和髓鞘形成情况。进行蛋白质印迹法以评估NLRP3/半胱天冬酶-1/GSDMD途径、髓样分化因子88(MyD88)/核因子κB(NF-κB)途径和受体相互作用蛋白激酶3(RIPK3)/MLKL途径中蛋白质的表达。进行免疫荧光实验以观察小胶质细胞、星形胶质细胞、少突胶质细胞及相关因子的变化。最后,我们通过酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)分析两组炎症的变化。阻断MLKL可减轻EAE小鼠的临床症状、脱髓鞘和炎性细胞浸润。此外,它增加了少突胶质细胞数量,保护了轴突,减少了活化星形胶质细胞和小胶质细胞数量并减轻了炎症。MLKL抑制剂可能通过RIPK3/MLKL途径改善坏死性凋亡。阻断MLKL可能通过抑制EAE小鼠中NLRP3/半胱天冬酶-1/GSDMD途径和MyD88/NF-κB途径的激活发挥治疗作用。阻断MLKL在EAE中发挥治疗作用,不仅通过RIPK3/MLKL途径调节坏死性凋亡,还通过NLRP3/半胱天冬酶-1/GSDMD途径和MyD88/NF-κB途径调节神经炎症。