The deubiquitinating enzyme, ubiquitin-specific peptidase 50, regulates inflammasome activation by targeting the ASC adaptor protein

NOD-like receptor family protein 3 (NLRP3)-mediated inflammasome activation promotes caspase-1-dependent production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and requires the adaptor protein ASC. Compared with the priming and activation mechanisms of the inflammasome signaling pathway, post-translational ubiquitination/deubiquitination mechanisms controlling inflammasome activation have not been clearly addressed. We here demonstrate that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP50 binds to the ASC protein and subsequently regulates the inflammasome signaling pathway by deubiquitinating the lysine 63-linked polyubiquitination of ASC. USP50 knockdown in human THP-1 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages shows a significant decrease in procaspase-1 cleavage, resulting in a reduced secretion of IL-1β and interleukin-18 (IL-18) upon treatment with NLRP3 stimuli and a reduction in ASC speck formation and oligomerization. Thus, we elucidate a novel regulatory mechanism of the inflammasome signaling pathway mediated by the USP50 deubiquitinating enzyme.