Monocytes promote the early host response to infection releasing key pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β. The biologically inactive IL-1β precursor is processed to active form by inflammasomes, multi-protein complexes activating caspase-1. Human monocytes exhibit an unconventional one-step pathway of inflammasome activation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone. Although this lineage-restricted mechanism is likely to contribute to the pathology of endotoxin shock, signalling pathways regulating this mechanism are currently unknown. Here we report that caspase-4 and caspase-5 mediate IL-1α and IL-1β release from human monocytes after LPS stimulation. Although caspase-4 remains uncleaved, caspase-5 undergoes rapid processing upon LPS treatment. We also identify an additional caspase-5 cleavage product in LPS-stimulated monocytes, which correlates with IL-1 secretion. This one-step pathway requires Syk activity and Ca2+ flux instigated by CD14/TLR4-mediated LPS internalization. Identification of caspase-4/5 as the key determinants of one-step inflammasome activation in human monocytes provides potential targets for therapeutic intervention in endotoxin shock.

Hodgkin lymphoma is characterized by an extensively dominant tumor microenvironment (TME) composed of different types of noncancerous immune cells with rare malignant cells. Characterization of the cellular components and their spatial relationship is crucial to understanding cross-talk and therapeutic targeting in the TME. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of more than 127,000 cells from 22 Hodgkin lymphoma tissue specimens and 5 reactive lymph nodes, profi ling for the fi rst time the phenotype of the Hodgkin lymphoma-specifi c immune microenvironment at single-cell resolution. Single-cell expression profi ling identifi ed a novel Hodgkin lymphoma-associated subset of T cells with prominent expression of the inhibitory receptor LAG3, and functional analyses established this LAG3 + T-cell population as a mediator of immunosuppression. Multiplexed spatial assessment of immune cells in the microenvironment also revealed increased LAG3 + T cells in the direct vicinity of MHC class II-defi cient tumor cells. Our fi ndings provide novel insights into TME biology and suggest new approaches to immune-checkpoint targeting in Hodgkin lymphoma. SIGNIFICANCE:We provide detailed functional and spatial characteristics of immune cells in classic Hodgkin lymphoma at single-cell resolution. Specifi cally, we identifi ed a regulatory T-cell-like immunosuppressive subset of LAG3 + T cells contributing to the immune-escape phenotype. Our insights aid in the development of novel biomarkers and combination treatment strategies targeting immune checkpoints.