Pyroptosis is driven by non-selective gasdermin-D pore and its morphology is different from MLKL channel-mediated necroptosis

Necroptosis and pyroptosis are two forms of programmed cell death with a common feature of plasma membrane rupture. Here we studied the morphology and mechanism of pyroptosis in comparison with necroptosis. Different from necroptosis, pyroptosis undergoes membrane blebbing and produces apoptotic body-like cell protrusions (termed pyroptotic bodies) prior to plasma membrane rupture. The rupture in necroptosis is explosion-like, whereas in pyroptosis it leads to flattening of cells. It is known that the execution of necroptosis is mediated by mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) oligomers in the plasma membrane, whereas gasdermin-D (GSDMD) mediates pyroptosis after its cleavage by caspase-1 or caspase-11. We…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 2015CB553800, 31420103910, J1310027, 2014CB541804, 31330047, 91029304, B12001
• HE
  Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project

  Award: B12001
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2014CB541804, 2015CB553800, 2013CB944903, 91029304