Molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and its role in viral infections / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

Pyroptosis is a newly discovered form of programmed cell death, and morphologically, it has the characteristics of both necrosis and apoptosis. Gasdermin-D is the executive protein in pyroptosis. Pyroptosis-related caspases were activated in cells after stimulation, and then caspases hydrolyzed to gasdermin-D.Subsequently, gasdermin-N domain combined to cytomembrane to form membrane pores. The pores disrupt the osmotic potential and cause cell swelling and eventual lysis. The process was also accompanied by releasing of inflammatory cytokines. This review focused on the morphology, molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and its role in viral infections.