Macrophage RIPK3 triggers inflammation and cell death via the XBP1-Foxo1 axis in liver ischaemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract

Background & aims: Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) is a central player in triggering necroptotic cell death. However, whether macrophage RIPK3 may regulate NOD1-dependent inflammation and calcineurin/transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 7 (TRPM7)-induced hepatocyte death in oxidative stress-induced liver inflammatory injury remains elusive.

Methods: A mouse model of hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, the primary hepatocytes, and bone marrow-derived macrophages were used in the myeloid-specific RIPK3 knockout (RIPK3^M-KO) and RIPK3-proficient (RIPK3^FL/FL) mice.

Results: RIPK3^M-KO diminished IR stress-induced liver damage with reduced serum alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase levels, macrophage/neutrophil infiltration, and pro-inflammatory mediators compared with the RIPK3^FL/FL controls. IR stress activated RIPK3, inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease 1α (IRE1α), x-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1), NF-κB, forkhead box O1 (Foxo1), calcineurin A, and TRPM7 in ischaemic livers. Conversely, RIPK3^M-KO depressed IRE1α, XBP1, NOD1, calcineurin A, and TRPM7 activation with reduced serum tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels. Moreover, Foxo1^M-KO alleviated IR-induced liver injury with reduced NOD1 and TRPM7 expression. Interestingly, chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with massively parallel sequencing revealed that macrophage Foxo1 colocalised with XBP1 and activated its target gene Zc3h15 (zinc finger CCCH domain-containing protein 15). Activating macrophage XBP1 enhanced Zc3h15, NOD1, and NF-κB activity. However, disruption of macrophage Zc3h15 inhibited NOD1 and hepatocyte calcineurin/TRPM7 activation, with reduced reactive oxygen species production and lactate dehydrogenase release after macrophage/hepatocyte coculture. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of Zc3h15-expressing macrophages in RIPK3^M-KO mice augmented IR-triggered liver inflammation and cell death.

Conclusions: Macrophage RIPK3 activates the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway and Foxo1 signalling in IR-stress livers. The XBP1-Foxo1 interaction is essential for modulating target gene Zc3h15 function, which is crucial for the control of NOD1 and calcineurin-mediated TRPM7 activation. XBP1 functions as a transcriptional coactivator of Foxo1 in regulating NOD1-driven liver inflammation and calcineurin/TRPM7-induced cell death. Our findings underscore a novel role of macrophage RIPK3 in stress-induced liver inflammation and cell death, implying the potential therapeutic targets in liver inflammatory diseases.

Impact and implications: Macrophage RIPK3 promotes NOD1-dependent inflammation and calcineurin/TRPM7-induced cell death cascade by triggering the XBP1-Foxo1 axis and its target gene Zc3h15, which is crucial for activating NOD1 and calcineurin/TRPM7 function, implying the potential therapeutic targets in stress-induced liver inflammatory injury.

Keywords: ER stress; Foxo1; IRE1α; Innate immunity; Liver inflammation; Necroptosis; Reactive oxygen species; XBP1.