Critical Role of IL1R2‐ENO1 Interaction in Inhibiting Glycolysis‐Mediated Pyroptosis for Protection Against Lethal Sepsis

Immune cell metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis is vital for sepsis defense. While interleukin 1 receptor 2 (IL1R2) acts as a decoy receptor for IL1α/β, its potential impact on cell metabolism and death during sepsis remains unclear. This study observed elevated plasma soluble IL1R2 (sIL1R2) levels in septic patients and mice. In pyroptotic macrophages, reduced intracellular IL1R2 expression led to its release extracellularly. Proteomic screening identified enolase 1 (ENO1), a key glycolysis enzyme, as the binding partner of IL1R2 in macrophages. IL1R2 suppresses ENO1 activity to inhibit glycolysis, gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis, and inflammation in macrophages. IL1R2-deficient mice exhibited heightened susceptibility to sepsis, with increased inflammation, organ injury, and mortality. Notably, ENO1 inhibition reduced inflammation, organ injury, and improved survival rates in septic mice. The study reveals that IL1R2 interacts with ENO1 to inhibit glycolysis-mediated pyroptosis and inflammation in sepsis, suggesting the IL1R2-ENO1 interaction as a promising therapeutic target of sepsis.