The role of pyroptosis in gastrointestinal cancer and immune responses to intestinal microbial infection

Abstract

Pyroptosis, a type of inflammatory programmed cell death, is mediated by multiple inflammasomes which can recognize danger signals and activate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-18¹ and IL-1β². It can induce cancer cell death within the gastrointestinal tract. NLRs³, AIM2⁴, GSDM⁵ family play important roles in pyroptosis signaling pathways in intestinal cancer such as gastric cancer, colitis-associated colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer, etc. Furthermore, several inflammasomes are elucidated to be involved in mucosal innate immune responses and modulate specific enteric pathogens infection. Precise modulation of inflammasome activation and exploration of potential diagnostic markers can contribute to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of intestinal tumors and inflammatory or infectious disorders in human patients in the near future.

Keywords: Colitis-associated colorectal cancer; Gastric cancer; Gut microbiota; Mucosal innate immune response; Pyroptosis.