Cathepsin C promotes microglia M1 polarization and aggravates neuroinflammation via activation of Ca2+-dependent PKC/p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway

摘要

BackgroundMicroglia-derived lysosomal cathepsins are important inflammatory mediators to trigger signaling pathways in inflammation-related cascades. Our previous study showed that the expression of cathepsin C (CatC) in the brain is induced predominantly in activated microglia in neuroinflammation. Moreover, CatC can induce chemokine production in brain inflammatory processes. In vitro studies further confirmed that CatC is secreted extracellularly from LPS-treated microglia. However, the mechanisms of CatC affecting neuroinflammatory responses are not known yet.