Fungal Als proteins hijack host death effector domains to promote inflammasome signaling

Tingting Zhou, Norma V. Solis, Michaela Marshall, Qing Yao, Eric Pearlman, Scott G. Filler and Haoping Liu ()
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Tingting Zhou: University of California
Norma V. Solis: Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Michaela Marshall: University of California
Qing Yao: California Institute of Technology
Eric Pearlman: University of California
Scott G. Filler: Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Haoping Liu: University of California

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract High-damaging Candida albicans strains tend to form hyphae and exacerbate intestinal inflammation in ulcerative colitis patients through IL-1β-dependent mechanisms. Fungal agglutinin-like sequence (Als) proteins worsen DSS-induced colitis in mouse models. FADD and caspase-8 are important regulators of gut homeostasis and inflammation. However, whether they link directly to fungal proteins is not fully understood. Here, we report that Als proteins induce IL-1β release in immune cells. We show that hyphal Als3 is internalized in macrophages and interacts with caspase-8 and the inflammasome adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC). Caspase-8 is essential for Als3-mediated ASC oligomerization and IL-1β processing. In non-immune cells, Als3 is associated with cell death core components FADD and caspase-8. N-terminal Als3 (N-Als3) expressed in Jurkat cells partially inhibits apoptosis. Mechanistically, N-Als3 promotes oligomerization of FADD and caspase-8 through their death effector domains (DEDs). N-Als3 variants with a mutation in the peptide-binding cavity or amyloid-forming region are impaired in DED oligomerization. Together, these results demonstrate that DEDs are intracellular sensors of Als3. This study identifies additional potential targets to control hypha-induced inflammation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56657-5

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