ZBP1/DAI Drives RIPK3-Mediated Cell Death Induced by IFNs in the Absence of RIPK1

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) regulates cell fate and proinflammatory signaling downstream of multiple innate immune pathways, including those initiated by TNF-alpha, TLR ligands, and IFNs. Genetic ablation of Ripk1 results in perinatal lethality arising from both RIPK3-mediated necroptosis and FADD/caspase-8-driven apoptosis. IFNs are thought to contribute to the lethality of Ripk1-deficient mice by activating inopportune cell death during parturition, but how IFNs activate cell death in the absence of RIPK1 is not understood. In this study, we show that Z-form nucleic acid binding protein 1 (ZBP1; also known as DAI) drives IFN-stimulated cell death in settings of RIPK1 deficiency. IFN-activated Jak/STAT signaling induces robust expression of ZBP1, which complexes with RIPK3 in the absence of RIPK1 to trigger RIPK3-driven pathways of caspase-8-mediated apoptosis and MLKL-driven necroptosis. In vivo, deletion of either Zbp1 or core IFN signaling components prolong viability of Ripk1(-1-) mice for up to 3 mo beyond parturition. Together, these studies implicate ZBP1 as the dominant activator of IFN-driven RIPK3 activation and perinatal lethality in the absence of RIPK1.