ASC plays a role in the IL-1beta, IL-18 pathway of the immune response to type II collagen in collagen-induced arthritis

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We investigated the involvement of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruit domain(ASC) in the progression of murine collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) and collagen antibody-induced arthritis(CAIA) using ASC-deficient(ASC-/-) and wild-type(ASC+/+) mice. Analyses were performed by immunohistochemistry for tissues and ELISA for sera. We observed an increase in the expression of ASC, as well as IL-1β. and IL-18, in the joints of CIA DBA mice, which indicated that ASC is involved in disease development. Next, we demonstrated that the infiltration of inflammatory cells and cartilage/bone destruction in CIA knee joints were significantly increased in ASC+/+ mice compared with ASC-/-mice. No such differences were noted in ASC+/+ and ASC-/-CAIA mice. In terms of cytokine expression in knee joints, IL-1β. and IL-18 were depressed in ASC-deficient CIA mice compared with wild-type mice, but were similarly expressed in CAIA joints in both mice groups. Taken together, we can conclude that ASC is involved in the development of CIA and plays a role in the priming phase of the immune response to type II collagen.