Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Nature. 2012 Jan 18;481(7381):278-86. doi: 10.1038/nature10759.
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.
炎症小体是一组围绕多种蛋白质构建的蛋白复合物，包括 NLRP3、NLRC4、AIM2 和 NLRP6。炎症小体识别多种微生物、应激和损伤信号，导致 caspase-1 的直接激活，随后诱导强效促炎细胞因子的分泌和一种称为细胞焦亡的细胞死亡形式。炎症小体介导的过程在微生物感染期间以及在调节代谢过程和黏膜免疫反应中都很重要。我们综述了不同炎症小体复合物的功能，并讨论了它们的异常如何与人类疾病的发病机制有关。
