CTRP-3 Regulates NOD1-mediated Inflammation and NOD1 Expression in Adipocytes and Adipose Tissue

The anti-inflammatory adipokine CTRP-3 might affect innate immune reactions such as NOD1. The impact of CTRP-3 on NOD1-mediated inflammation in adipocytes and monocytic cells as well as on NOD1 expression was investigated. Murine 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and adipocytes as well as human THP-1 monocyte-like cells were co-stimulated with the synthetic NOD1 agonist Tri-DAP and recombinant CTRP-3. Gonadal adipose tissue and primary adipocytes were obtained from a murine model carrying a knockout (KO) of CTRP-3 in adipocytes but not in stroma-vascular cells. Wildtype mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced elevated NOD1 expression were treated with CTRP-3. Secreted inflammatory cytokines in cell supernatants were measured by ELISA and mRNA levels were quantified by RT-PCR. Pro-inflammatory chemokine and cytokine secretion (MCP-1, RANTES, TNF alpha) was induced by NOD1 activation in adipocytes and monocyte-like cells, and MCP-1 and RANTES release was effectively inhibited by pre-incubation of cells with CTRP-3. CTRP-3 also antagonized LPS-triggered induction of NOD1 gene expression in murine adipose tissue, whereas adipocyte CTRP-3 deficiency upregulated NOD1 expression in adipose tissue. CTRP-3 is an effective antagonist of peptidoglycan-induced, NOD1-mediated inflammation and of LPS-induced NOD1 expression. Since basal NOD1 expression is increased by adipocyte CTRP-3 deficiency, there have to be also inflammation-independent mechanisms of NOD1 expression regulation by CTRP-3.