Role of inflammasomes9 Jan 2024 11:21
More very relevant emerging research on the importance of inflammasomes in treating respiratory diseases. In particular the role of NLRP3 which NFX research specifically targets.
Published 5th Jan 2024.
'The role of inflammasomes in human diseases and their potential as therapeutic targets'
Respiratory disorders
Inflammasomes are implicated in the pathogenesis of several respiratory disorders, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary infection, pulmonary fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As a result, inflammasomes have become a significant focus for research aimed at developing new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic avenues in pulmonary diseases and other respiratory disorders.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that affects inflammatory cells and cytokines in the lungs.238 Exposure to industrial products, microbes, or other allergens induces reversible limitations in airflow into and out of the lungs, as well as airway hyper-responsiveness. Persistent airway inflammation causes structural changes in airway tissues, known as airway remodeling, resulting in nonreversible airway obstruction and progressive loss of lung function. There is increasing evidence that NLRP3 inflammasome plays a role in asthma.
The end result of inflammatory pulmonary diseases is fibrosis. The NLRP3 inflammasome mediates pulmonary fibrosis through the IL-1β-IL-1Rs-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway.263 Moreover, studies also found that NLRP3 inflammasome could transform lung endothelial cells into epithelial-mesenchymal transition, promoting pulmonary fibrosis. Caspase-1 and IL-1β play vital roles in pulmonary fibrogenesis. Caspases-1enzyme cleavages the pro-IL-1β and allows secretion of IL-1β.264 Elevated IL-1β has a profibrotic effect, and usually occurs in combination with higher expression of IL-1Rs in fibrogenesis.265 A study on mouse primary lung fibroblasts showed that the NLRP3 inflammasome increases IL-1β production, leading to lung fibrosis when induced by bleomycin.266 Collectively, these investigations have helped to clarify the role of inflammasomes in the development of pulmonary fibrosis and may lead to the discovery of new treatment targets for various respiratory disorders.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-023-01687-y