FIG 3.

Viral activators of the inflammasome. DNA and RNA viruses carry viral PAMPs and induce physiological aberrations and host cell damage that can trigger activation of the inflammasome. DNA from double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses can enter the cytoplasm and the nucleus to engage activation of the AIM2 inflammasome and the putative IFI16 inflammasome, respectively. Both DNA and RNA viruses can cause physiological aberrations in the form of cathepsin B release, production of ROS, and potassium efflux, which are signaling cues leading to activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. RNA and viral proteins of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses and replication intermediaries of a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) virus have been shown to trigger activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Host DNA release from virus-induced damage can lead to activation of the AIM2 inflammasome. There is some evidence to suggest that an ssRNA virus might activate the NLRP1 inflammasome. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) from a dsRNA virus has been shown to activate a putative NLRP9b inflammasome in mouse enterocytes.