Figure 2.

ASC specks and inflammasome activation amplification. 1. Initial signal (bacterial toxins, PAMPs, DAMPs, ds-DNA, etc.) leads to the assembly of the inflammasome. 2. ASC specks (oligomers) are formed such that the sensor, the adaptor, and the caspase-1 are always present at increasing concentrations. 3. The cell undergoes pyroptosis, resulting in cell lysis and the release of inflammatory cytokines and ASC specks. 4. The released ASC specks can be engulfed by adjacent immune cells, leading to the transduction of the upstream signal from one cell to the other. 5. The process of inflammasome assembly, activation, and pyroptosis repeats in the recipient immune cells, leading to amplification of inflammasome activation.