title: Research progress on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in the central nervous system.
abstract: The NLRP3 inflammasome, which consists of the NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (Nod)-like receptor 3) scaffold, the ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD) adaptor and procaspase- 1, is assembled after the cytoplasmic LRRs (leucine-rich repeats) of NLRP3 sense pathogens or danger signals. The NLRP3 inflammasome controls the activation of the proteolytic enzyme caspase-1. Caspase-1 in turn regulates the maturation of the proinflammasome cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, which leads to an inflammatory response. The inflammasome plays an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease and bacterial meningitis, and the NLRP3 inflammasome may become a new target for the prevention and treatment of central nervous system diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institute of Acupuncture Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
authors.forename: Shen-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Yan-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D058847:Inflammasomes; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human; C492716:Nlrp3 protein, mouse; C402202:PYCARD protein, human; D020170:Caspase 1