The role of the inflammasome and pyroptosis in heart failure

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a complicated clinical syndrome caused by abnormal cardiac structure and/or function, leading to ventricular filling and/or ejection dysfunction. Pyroptosis is a newly identified form of programmed cell death often accompanied by inflammation during HF. The NLRP3 inflammasome, acting as a caspase-1 activation platform, plays a critical role in the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines and pyroptosis. Therefore, cell death and inflammasomes are involved in the pathophysiological process of HF. Our paper will review the latest research progress on the relationship among pyroptosis, inflammasomes, and HF.