A palmitoylation-depalmitoylation relay spatiotemporally controls GSDMD activation in pyroptosis [II]

Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is the executioner of pyroptosis, which is important for host defense against pathogen infection. After activation, caspase-mediated cleavage of GSDMD liberates an N-terminal fragment (GSDMD-NT), which oligomerizes and forms pores in the plasma membrane, leading to cell death and subsequent release of proinflammatory cytokines. How this process is spatiotemporally controlled to promote pyroptosis in cells has been a fundamental, unaddressed question. Here, we identify GSDMD as a substrate for reversible S-palmitoylation on cysteine 192 (Cys192) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. We found that the palmitoyl acyltransferase DHHC7palmitoylates GSDMD to direct its cleavage by caspases in pyroptosis by promoting the interaction of GSDMD and caspases. We further show that after GSDMD cleavage, palmitoylation of GSDMD-NTpromotes its plasma membrane translocation and binding, and then acyl protein thioesterase 2 (APT2) depalmitoylates GSDMD-NT to unmask the Cys192 residue to promote oxidation-mediated oligomerization and pyroptosis. Perturbation of either palmitoylation or depalmitoylation suppresses pyroptosis, extends the survival of mice from LPS-induced lethal septic shock and sensitizes mice to bacterial infection. Thus. our findings reveal a model through which a palmitoylation-depalmitoylationrelay spatially and temporally controls GSDMD activation in pyroptosis. Overall design: mRNA profiles of primary bone marrow derived macrophages of wt, Dhhc7+/+, Dhhc7-/- , Apt2+/+, Apt2-/- mice treated with LFn-Rod and 2-bromopalmitate (2-BP).