Abstract
Neuropilin 1 (Nrp1), a coreceptor for class 3 semaphorins and growth factors, is highly expressed in vascular cells and myeloid cells, including macrophages. Unlike well-characterized proangiogenic functions of endothelial cell Nrp1, the contributions of macrophage Nrp1 within the context of metabolic dysfunction remain to be established. The aim of this study was to determine the contributions of macrophage Nrp1 in high-fat diet (HFD)-instigated insulin resistance in vivo. Insulin sensitivity and Nlrp3 inflammasome activation were monitored in wild-type (WT) and myeloid cell-specific Nrp1 knockout (Nrp1myel-KO) mice fed an HFD (60% kcal) for 16 weeks. HFD-fed mice exhibited insulin resistance with reduced levels of Nrp1 in macrophages compared with chow-fed mice. Further, HFD-fed Nrp1myel-KO mice displayed accentuated insulin resistance, enhanced systemic inflammation, and dramatically increased Nlrp3 inflammasome priming and activation. Importantly, knockout of Nlrp3 ablated HFD-induced insulin resistance and inflammation in Nrp1myel-KO mice, indicating that Nrp1 reduction in macrophages instigates insulin resistance by increasing macrophage Nlrp3 inflammasome activation. Mechanistically, Nrp1 deletion activates the nuclear factor-κB pathway, which in turn accentuates the priming of Nlrp3, promotes Nlrp3-ASC inflammasome assembly, and results in the activation of Nlrp3. We conclude that the HFD-instigated Nrp1 reduction in macrophages exacerbates insulin resistance by promoting Nlrp3 inflammasome priming and activation.