Fig. 1.

A schematic overview of inflammasome activation. Extracellular and intracellular pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which results in the transcription of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 cytokines via induces nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling. NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 activation (NLRP3) is induced by K+ efflux, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and activation of P2X7R by adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex, including the adaptor molecule apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and procaspase-1, leads to caspase-1 activation. The activated caspase-1 cleaves pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18 into their mature forms. DAMP, danger-associated molecular pattern; NOD, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain; IL, interleukin; RIG, retinoic acidinducible gene; MDA, melanoma differentiation-associated protein; INF, interferon; TNF, tumor-necrosis factor.