The role of NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes in the etiopathogeneses of pityriasis lichenoides chronica and mycosis fungoides: an immunohistochemical study

Arch Dermatol Res. 2023 Mar;315(2):231-239. doi: 10.1007/s00403-022-02363-x. Epub 2022 Jul 1.

Abstract

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common subtype of primary cutaneous T cell lymphomas, whereas pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder. The inflammasome is a part of the natural immune system which has a multimeric structure consisting of the receptor, adaptor and effector protein that show specificity for various ligands or activators. After the activation of the inflammasome complex, caspase 1 becomes activated which subsequently triggers interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production. In our study we aimed to examine the roles of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 1 (NLRP1) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain (NLRP3) inflammasomes in the etiopathogeneses of PLC and MF. NLRP1, NLRP3, caspase 1, IL-18 and IL-1β levels were examined and compared immunohistochemically in the skin biopsies belonging to 16 control patients; 16 PLC cases, 12 cases with stage 1 MF and 12 cases with other stages of MF (stage 2-4). In the paired comparisons of NLRP1, stage 2-4 MF group and PLC group were shown to have increased levels of NLRP1 expression compared to the control group. IL-1β was also expressed at statistically significantly higher levels in each of the stage 1 MF, stage 2-4 MF and PLC groups compared to the control group. In the paired comparisons of caspase 1 and IL-18, it was found that stage 1 MF, stage 2-4 MF and PLC groups had increased levels of expression compared to the control group. Our findings suggest that the NLRP1 inflammasome pathway might play a role in the etiopathogenesis and progression of PLC and MF.

Keywords: Inflammasomes; Mycosis fungoides; Pityriasis lichenoides.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism
  • Interleukin-18 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Mycosis Fungoides*
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / metabolism
  • NLR Proteins / metabolism
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Pityriasis Lichenoides*
  • Skin Neoplasms*

Substances

  • Inflammasomes
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Interleukin-18
  • Caspase 1
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Nucleotides
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • NLRP1 protein, human
  • NLR Proteins