Longevity & AgingMitochondrial Peptide SHLP2 Blocks Pyroptosis to Calm Allergic Asthma
Researchers discovered that SHLP2, a mitochondria-encoded peptide, is significantly reduced in allergic asthma patients. Exogenous SHLP2 supplementation reduced lung inflammation and airway barrier damage in house dust mite-exposed mice. Mechanistically, SHLP2 binds to the promoter region of transcription factor ETV5, suppressing downstream expression of GSDMD — a key driver of pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory cell death. Overexpressing ETV5 independently improved mitochondrial function and reduced pyroptosis in bronchial epithelial cells, while ETV5 knockout blocked the protective effects of SHLP2. These findings position SHLP2 as a novel regulator of the ETV5/GSDMD axis and a promising therapeutic candidate for allergic airway disease.
