DNA sensor-associated type I interferon signaling is increased in ulcerative colitis and induces JAK-dependent inflammatory cell death in colonic organoids

  • Peter Flood
  • , Aine Fanning
  • , Jerzy A. Woznicki
  • , Tadhg Crowley
  • , Andrea Christopher
  • , Alessandra Vaccaro
  • , Aileen Houston
  • , Sheila McSweeney
  • , Sarah Ross
  • , Aileen Hogan
  • , Elizabeth Brint
  • , Agnieszka Skowyra
  • , Milan Bustamante
  • , Monica Ambrose
  • , Gerard Moloney
  • , John MacSharry
  • , Marie Louise Hammarström
  • , Margot Hurley
  • , Christine Fitzgibbons
  • , Eamonn M.M. Quigley
  • Fergus Shanahan, Syed A. Zulquernain, Jane McCarthy, G. Steven Dodson, Karim Dabbagh, Bradford L. McRae, Silvia Melgar, Ken Nally

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

DNA sensor pathways can initiate inflammasome, cell death, and type I interferon (IFN) signaling in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), including type I interferonopathies. We investigated the involvement of these pathways in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) by analyzing the expression of DNA sensor, inflammasome, and type I IFN biomarker genes in colonic mucosal biopsy tissue from control (n = 31), inactive UC (n = 31), active UC (n = 33), and a UC single-cell RNA-Seq dataset. The effects of type I IFN (IFN-β), IFN-γ, and TNF-α on gene expression, cytokine production, and cell death were investigated in human colonic organoids. In organoids treated with cytokines alone, or in combination with NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), caspase, or JAK inhibitors, cell death was measured, and supernatants were assayed for IL-1β/IL-18/CXCL10. The expression of DNA sensor pathway genes-PYHIN family members [absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), IFI16, myeloid cell nuclear differentiation antigen (MNDA), and pyrin and HIN domain family member 1 (PYHIN1)- as well as Z-DNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1), cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), and DDX41 was increased in active UC and expressed in a cell type-restricted pattern. Inflammasome genes (CASP1, IL1B, and IL18), type I IFN inducers [stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1 (STING), TBK1, and IRF3), IFNB1, and type I IFN biomarker genes (OAS2, IFIT2, and MX2) were also increased in active UC. Cotreatment of organoids with IFN-β or IFN-γ in combination with TNFα increased expression of IFI16, ZBP1, CASP1, cGAS, and STING induced cell death and IL-1β/IL-18 secretion. This inflammatory cell death was blocked by the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib but not by inflammasome or caspase inhibitors. Increased type I IFN activity may drive elevated expression of DNA sensor genes and JAK-dependent but inflammasome-independent inflammatory cell death of colonic epithelial cells in UC.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)G439-G460
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology
Volume323
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2022

Keywords

  • colonic organoids
  • DNA sensors
  • inflammasome
  • type I IFN
  • ulcerative colitis

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