Loss of conserved Gsdma3 self-regulation causes autophagy and cell death

Gasdermin A3 (Gsdma3) was originally identified in association with hair-loss phenotype in mouse mutants. Our previous study found that AE mutant mice, with a Y344H substitution at the C-terminal domain of Gsdma3, display inflammation-dependent alopecia and excoriation [Zhou et al. (2012) Am. J. Pathol. 180, 763–774]. Interestingly, we found that the newly-generated null mutant of Gsdma3 mice did not display the skin dysmorphology, indicating that Gsdma3 is not essential for differentiation of epidermal cells and maintenance of the hair cycle in normal physiological conditions. Consistently, human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 and HaCaT cells transfected with wild-type (WT) Gsdma3 did not show abnormal morphology. However, Gsdma3 Y344H mutation induced autophagy. Gsdma3 N-terminal domain, but not the C-terminal domain, also displayed the similar pro-autophagic activity. The Gsdma3 Y344H mutant protein and N-terminal domain-induced autophagy was associated with mitochondria and ROS generation. Co-expression of C-terminal domain reversed the cell autophagy induced by N-terminal domain. Moreover, C-terminal domain could be co-precipitated with N-terminal domain. These data indicated that the potential pro-autophagic activity of WT Gsdma3 protein is suppressed through an intramolecular inhibition mechanism. Studies on other members of the GSDM family suggested this mechanism is conserved in several sub-families.