Inflammasomes and Autoinflammation

Abstract

Inflammasomes are large intracellular multi-protein polymeric complexes comprised of sensors, adaptor proteins and caspases. As innate immune sensors capable of recognizing and rapidly responding to pathogen and metabolic danger signals, inflammasomes act as key modulators of initial immune responses. This chapter focuses on the known inflamma-some complexes, how they assemble into a molecular platform for caspase-1 activation and ultimately lead to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the context of the innate immune response. A brief discussion of the role for the inflammasomes in disease is included. Keywords