Control of innate and adaptive immunity by the inflammasome

Abstract

The importance of innate immunity lies not only in directly confronting pathogenic and non-pathogenic insults but also in instructing the development of an efficient adaptive immune response. The Nlrp3 inflammasome provides a platform for the activation of caspase-1 with the subsequent processing and secretion of IL-1 family members. Given the importance of IL-1 in a variety of inflammatory diseases, understanding the role of the Nlrp3 inflammasome in the initiation of innate and adaptive immune responses cannot be overstated. This review examines recent advances in inflammasome biology with an emphasis on its roles in sterile inflammation and triggering of adaptive immune responses.

Figure 1. Proposed model for the activation of Nlrp3 inflammasome through non-pathogenic insults

A divergent group of stimuli leads to a cascade of events that culminate in the activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome, which results in processing and secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 by active caspase-1. These events include: a potassium efflux, the generation of mitochondrial ROS and the assembly of the Nlrp3 inflammasome complex.