In situ evidence that mast cells release mutant NLRP1 in keratoacanthomas from multiple self-healing palmoplantar carcinoma

Multiple self-healing palmoplantar carcinoma (MSPC) is a rare syndrome characterized by germline mutations of the inflammasome sensor protein NLRP1, causing its constitutive activation and ultimately, IL1β-driven inflammation. Because NLRP1 is well expressed in human skin, the effect is aberrant keratinocyte proliferation with the appearance of characteristic, recurrent keratoacanthomas (KAs) on palms and soles. We aimed to clarify the subcellular localization of mutant NLRP1 in the skin of a MSPC patient with plantar KAs and a sudden psoriasis-like eruption. Skin biopsies from the MSPC patient and healthy controls were processed for immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. We found for the first time that NLRP1 localized to mast cell (MC) granules in both healthy and lesional skin. Moreover, MCs expressing the A66V pathogenic variant of NLRP1 overpopulated plantar KAs of a MSPC patient, infiltrated the epidermis and degranulated, a behavior not seen in the psoriasis-like lesion (PLL) from the same patient, nor in healthy skin. The released granules had higher NLRP1 content than MSPC-PLL and also contained NLRP3 and IL1β. Overall, this data suggests that MCs can contribute to the pathogenesis of KAs in MSPC, which opens a new area of research in NLRP1-related syndromes.