Inflammasome pathways

ABSTRACT

Inflammasomes are cytosolic multiprotein complexes. They are an important component of the innate immune system, and their activation is a process for inflammation. Their pathologies cause for many autoinflammatory diseases such as familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), cryopyrin associated periodic fever syndrome (CAPS), and autoimmune disorders. The NLRP3 inflammasome is the most famous one. Inflammasome activation pathways are canonical, non-canonical, and alternative. There is a two-step model in which signal 1 is for priming and signal 2 is for activation. Inflammasome formation is triggered by sensors of danger or damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) or pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In response to these stimuli, the caspase-1 enzyme is activated. And it converts the proactive form of interleukin (IL)-1 beta to active IL-1beta and the same procedure for IL-18 which are pro-inflammatory cytokines. According to recent studies, COVID-19 infection also has the potential to activate inflammasomes to induce hyperinflammation which may be related to disease severity. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.