Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40156826›Full record

ArticleAnimal models and experimental medicine2025

The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway contributes to chronic inflammation in experimental autoimmune uveitis.

Avik Shome, Ilva D Rupenthal, Rachael L Niederer, Odunayo O Mugisho

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Article in Animal models and experimental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Avik ShomeBuchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0003-0739-2484
Ilva D RupenthalBuchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0001-5997-5994
Rachael L NiedererDepartment of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-4311-859X
Odunayo O MugishoBuchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-4519-6727

Funding

Auckland Medical Research Foundation 1121013Auckland Medical Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship 1323001Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Unit Doctoral ScholarshipNeurological Foundation First Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2001 FFEthe Buchanan Charitable Foundationthe Health Research Council of New Zealand 20/317Wellcome Trust 203134
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNoninfectious uveitis, a chronic ocular inflammatory disease, is characterized by the activation of immune cells in the eye, with most studies focusing on the role of the adaptive immune system in the disease. However, limited data exist on the potential contribution of the innate immune system, specifically the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain and leucine-rich repeat receptor-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway. This pathway has previously been identified as a driver of inflammation in several low-grade, progressive inflammatory eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. The aim of this study was to determine whether the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway plays a role in the pathogenesis and chronicity of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU).

methodsEAU was induced in C57BL/6J mice via intraperitoneal pertussis toxin and subcutaneous interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein injections. After 12 weeks, eyes were enucleated, and whole eye sections were assessed for inflammasome, macrophage, and microglial markers in the retina, ciliary body, and cornea using immunohistochemistry.

resultsOur study confirmed higher NLRP3 inflammasome activation (increased expression of NLRP3 and cleaved caspase 1 labeling) in EAU mouse retinas compared to controls. This correlated with increased astrogliosis and microglial activation throughout the eye. Migratory innate and adaptive peripheral immune cells (macrophages and leukocytes) were also found within the retina and ciliary body of EAU mice. Connexin43 proteins, which form hexameric hemichannels that can release adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an upstream inflammasome priming signal, were also found upregulated in the retina and cornea of EAU mice.

conclusionOverall, our findings support the idea that in the EAU model there is active inflammation, even 12 weeks post induction, and that it can be correlated to inflammasome activation. This contributes to the pathogenesis and chronicity of noninfectious uveitis, and our results emphasize that targeting the inflammasome pathway could be efficacious for noninfectious uveitis treatment.

Indexed as

Autoimmune DiseasesInflammasomesInflammationNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinUveitisAnimalsChronic DiseaseDisease Models, AnimalFemaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSignal TransductionInflammasomesNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinNlrp3 protein, mouseexperimental autoimmune uveitisinflammationnucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain and leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐3 (NLRP3) inflammasomeuveitis

Identifiers

PMID40156826
PMCPMC12641441

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.