Date of Graduation

Spring 2023

Degree

Master of Science in Biology

Department

Biology

Committee Chair

Christopher Lupfer

Abstract

NOD-like receptors (NLRs) are intracellular proteins that play an important role in the regulation of the innate immune response to pathogens. Since being identified, various functions for NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 12 (NLRP12) have been suggested. It has been shown to negatively regulate the inflammatory response through canonical and noncanonical NF-kB signaling pathways, control tumorigenesis and gut homeostasis and exacerbate inflammation through the formation of a multi-protein complex called an inflammasome. Due to the varying roles established for NLRP12, the mechanisms by which it functions remain poorly understood. In this study, I sought to confirm a novel protein-protein interaction between NLRP12 and CUL3 to aid in better understanding the mechanisms in which NLRP12 is activated and functions. CUL3 is an E3 ligase involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) that targets proteins for degradation in the 26S proteosome. I found that NLRP12 and CUL3 interact and as a result IL-8 chemokine is downregulated indicative of downregulation of the inflammatory response. Thus, this study provides insight into a possible mechanism that controls NLRP12 function through ubiquitination.

Keywords

NOD-like receptors, inflammation, ubiquitin, NF-kB, innate immunity

Subject Categories

Biology | Immunology and Infectious Disease

Copyright

© Catherine Rippe

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Open Access

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