1417-ZBP1-Driven Macrophage Pyroptosis in Sepsis

Paper Talk · Aug 11, 2026 · 23m

This study investigates how ZBP1-driven macrophage pyroptosis worsens sepsis-induced acute lung injury by damaging the pulmonary epithelium. Through single-cell RNA sequencing of human and mouse samples, researchers identified a specific group of pyroptosis-associated macrophages that expands during severe sepsis. These macrophages interact with the NLRP3 inflammasome to trigger cell death and release inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-1β. These signals disrupt the mitochondrial function and barrier integrity of alveolar type II epithelial cells, leading to organ dysfunction. Notably…