Inflammasome

Definition

An inflammasome is a multiprotein complex inside cells of the innate immune system that detects certain danger signals, infection-related molecules, or cellular stress. When activated, inflammasomes can trigger inflammatory caspases, promote maturation of cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-18, and in some contexts induce an inflammatory form of cell death called pyroptosis. [1] [2] [3]

Why It Matters in Ageing Research

Inflammasomes matter because chronic, low-grade inflammation is a major feature of ageing biology, and inflammasome signalling can connect cellular damage, metabolic stress, immune activation, and tissue dysfunction. The NLRP3 inflammasome is especially studied in ageing and age-related diseases because it can respond to diverse stress signals, including mitochondrial dysfunction, crystals, extracellular ATP, and disrupted cellular homeostasis. [4] [5] [6]

Common Confusion

• The inflammasome is not the same as inflammation; it is one molecular system that can help trigger inflammatory responses.
• NLRP3 is not the only inflammasome, although it is one of the most studied in ageing and chronic disease.
• Inflammasome activation can be protective during infection, but persistent or inappropriate activation may contribute to tissue damage.

Related Reading

• Inflammaging
• Intercellular Communication
• Mitochondrial Dysfunction
• Hallmarks of Ageing

References

1. Martinon, F., Burns, K., & Tschopp, J. (2002). The Inflammasome: A Molecular Platform Triggering Activation of Inflammatory Caspases and Processing of proIL-β. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1097-2765(02)00599-3
2. Schroder, K., & Tschopp, J. (2010). The Inflammasomes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2010.01.040
3. Broz, P., & Dixit, V. M. (2016). Inflammasomes: mechanism of assembly, regulation and signalling. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri.2016.58
4. Franceschi, C., et al. (2018). Inflammaging: a new immune-metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-018-0059-4
5. Youm, Y. H., et al. (2013). Canonical Nlrp3 inflammasome links systemic low-grade inflammation to functional decline in aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2013.09.028
6. Latz, E., Xiao, T. S., & Stutz, A. (2013). Activation and regulation of the inflammasomes. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3452