3-MCPD Induces Renal Cell Pyroptosis and Inflammation by Inhibiting ESCRT-III-Mediated Cell Repair and Mitophagy

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) is a chloropropyl alcohol contaminant mainly from the thermal processing of food and could affect kidneys. Pyroptosis is programmed cell death mediated by inflammasomes and gasdermins, and excessive cellular pyroptosis and inflammation can lead to tissue injury. In the present study, we found that 3-MCPD increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in vitro and in vivo, increased the protein expression of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), N-terminal domain of GSDMD (GSDMD-N), and cleaved caspase-1 and promoted the release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18), which induced renal cell pyroptosis and inflammation. Mechanistic studies indicated that the addition of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, inhibited NLRP3 activation and attenuated pyroptosis. Furthermore, we revealed that 3-MCPD induced ROS accumulation by inhibiting ESCRT-III-mediated mitophagy. These results were further validated by the overexpression of charged multivesicular body protein 4B (CHMP4B), a key subunit of ESCRT-III, and the addition of the mitophagy activator carbonyl cyanide