Table 1:

Role of Inflammasomes in inflammatory bowel disease

	Experimental animal studies	Human studies
NLR family proteins	• Attenuation or exacerbation of colitis • Maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity, repair and recovery • Gut homeostasis and mucosal renewal • Maintenance of intestinal mucus layer • Alteration or no effect on microbiota • Induction of T-cell activation	• Increased severity to intestinal inflammation • Increased activation in CD and UC patients • Increased expression in intestinal epithelial cells, neutrophils and lamina propria cells
Caspases	• Attenuation of colitis • Maintenance of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity • Release of IL-18 and IL-1β cytokines • Regulation of STAT1 signaling in IECs	• Increased activation in CD and UC patients
IL-18	• Attenuation or exacerbation of colitis • Controlling the outgrowth of colitogenic bacteria and maintenance of intestinal microbiota • Maintenance of intestinal barrier function and mucosal renewal • Induces release of other cytokines	• Increased severity to intestinal inflammation • Increased activation in CD patients • Maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity • Increased expression in intestinal epithelial cells and lamina propria cells
IL-1β	• No dominant role in intestinal inflammation • Activation of T-cell immune response	• Increased activation in CD and UC patients • Increased severity to intestinal inflammation

UC: Ulcerative colitis, CD: Crohn’s disease, IECs: Intestinal epithelial cells