RESEARCH PAPER
The Role and Mechanism of the cGAS-STING/NLRP3 Signaling Axis-Regulated p38 MAPK/NF-κB Pathway in Manganese-Induced Tau Aggregation-Mediated Neurotoxicity.
Abstract
Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element, but increasing industrial and agricultural use has led to elevated levels of environmental Mn levels. Chronic overexposure to Mn can cause a Parkinson's-like neurodegenerative disorder; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study combined in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the role of the cGAS-STING/NLRP3 axis in regulating the p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway in the process of Mn-induced Tau aggregation leading to neurotoxicity. Our results demonstrated that MnCl2 exposure significantly activated both the cGAS-STING/NLRP3 signaling axis and the p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway, accompanied by increased Tau expression. Genetic ablation of cGAS, STING, or NLRP3 attenuated Mn-induced Tau upregulation, indicating that the cGAS-STING/NLRP3 signaling axis mediates Tau expression. RNA-seq analysis further revealed that the decreased Tau expression in knockout cells is associated with the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPK or NF-κB markedly downregulated cGAS-STING signaling, inflammatory cytokine release, and phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) levels. Moreover, we observed colocalization and interaction among p-p38, p-p65, and p-Tau. Overall, these findings reveal that Mn activates the cGAS-STING/NLRP3 signaling axis regulated by the p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathway, driving pathological Tau aggregation.