Anthrax and the inflammasome.
Anthrax lethal toxin (LT), a major virulence determinant of anthrax disease, induces vascular collapse in mice and rats. LT activates the Nlrp1 inflammasome in macrophages and dendritic cells, resulting in caspase-1 activation, IL-1β and IL-18 maturation and a rapid cell death (pyroptosis). This review presents the current understanding of LT-induced activation of Nlrp1 in cells and its consequences for toxin-mediated effects in rodent toxin and spore challenge models.
Laboratory of Bacterial Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. mmoayeri@niaid.nih.gov
Mahtab
M
Moayeri
Inka
I
Sastalla
Stephen H
SH
Leppla
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000473:pathology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D000070576:NLR Proteins; D051381:Rats
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D058847:Inflammasomes; D000070576:NLR Proteins; C427903:NLRP1 protein, human; C030325:anthrax toxin