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The inflammasome: a caspase-1-activation platform that regulates immune responses and disease pathogenesis

Nature Immunology volume 10, pages 241–247 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The inflammasome is a multiprotein complex that mediates the activation of caspase-1, which promotes secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, as well as 'pyroptosis', a form of cell death induced by bacterial pathogens. Members of the Nod-like receptor family, including NLRP1, NLRP3 and NLRC4, and the adaptor ASC are critical components of the inflammasome that link microbial and endogenous 'danger' signals to caspase-1 activation. Several diseases are associated with dysregulated activation of caspase-1 and secretion of IL-1β. Thus, understanding inflammasome pathways may provide insight into disease pathogenesis that might identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

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Figure 1: The NLRC4 inflammasome.
Figure 2: The NLRP3 inflammasome.

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Acknowledgements

We apologize to our colleagues whose work was not cited here because of space limitations. Supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation (L.F.) and the Jung-Stiftung für Wissenschaft und Forschung (T.E.).

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  1. Department of Pathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department Internal Medicine, The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA

    Luigi Franchi, Tatjana Eigenbrod, Raúl Muñoz-Planillo & Gabriel Nuñez

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Franchi, L., Eigenbrod, T., Muñoz-Planillo, R. et al. The inflammasome: a caspase-1-activation platform that regulates immune responses and disease pathogenesis. Nat Immunol 10, 241–247 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1703

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