Abstract
Inflammasomes are a group of protein complexes built around several proteins, including NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2 and NLRP6. Recognition of a diverse range of microbial, stress and damage signals by inflammasomes results in direct activation of caspase-1, which subsequently induces secretion of potent pro-inflammatory cytokines and a form of cell death called pyroptosis. Inflammasome-mediated processes are important during microbial infections and also in regulating both metabolic processes and mucosal immune responses. We review the functions of the different inflammasome complexes and discuss how aberrations in them are implicated in the pathogenesis of human diseases.
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Acknowledgements
We thank S. Eisenbarth, M. de Zoete, C. Thaiss, P. Licona-Limón, V. Nagy and A. Rongvaux for critically reading the manuscript, and F. Manzo for help with its submission. We apologize to those whose work was not cited owing to space constraints. T.S. and J.H.M. are supported by postdoctoral fellowships from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. E.E. is supported by the Cancer Research Institute (2010–2012) and the United States–Israel Educational Foundation (2009), and is the recipient of the Claire and Emmanuel G. Rosenblatt award from the American Physicians for Medicine in Israel Foundation. R.F. is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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Strowig, T., Henao-Mejia, J., Elinav, E. et al. Inflammasomes in health and disease. Nature 481, 278–286 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10759
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10759
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