Hepatocyte pyroptosis and release of inflammasome particles induce stellate cell activation and liver fibrosis.

Background & Aims Increased hepatocyte death contributes to the pathology of acute and chronic liver diseases. However, the role of hepatocyte pyroptosis and extracellular inflammasome release in liver disease is unknown. Methods We used primary mouse and human hepatocytes, hepatocyte-specific leucine 351 to proline Nlrp3KICreA mice, and GsdmdKO mice to investigate pyroptotic cell death in hepatocytes and its impact on liver inflammation and damage. Extracellular NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes were isolated from mutant NLRP3-YFP HEK cells and internalisation was studied in LX2 and primary human hepatic stellate cells. We also examined a cohort of 154…