title: Caspase-11: the driving factor for noncanonical inflammasomes.
abstract: Inflammasomes are large multiprotein platforms that mediate the processing of caspase-1, which in turn promotes the maturation and release of IL-1β and IL-18 in response to microbial and danger signals. While the canonical pathway of inflammasome activation has been known for some time, a novel mechanism of noncanonical inflammasome activation mediated by caspase-11 was more recently identified. This pathway engages caspase-11 to trigger both caspase-1-dependent and -independent production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-1α, as well as to promote pyroptosis, a form of genetically programmed cell death that is associated with the release of such cytokines. In this review, we gather together studies on both the mechanisms and implications of caspase-11-mediated noncanonical inflammasome activation, and discuss the emerging importance of this pathway in regulating host defense against intracellular bacterial pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Biopolis, Singapore.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mortellaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053471:Caspases, Initiator; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D058847:Inflammasomes; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; C101136:Casp4 protein, mouse; D020169:Caspases; D053471:Caspases, Initiator; D020170:Caspase 1
keywords: Caspase-11; IL-1β; Inflammasome; Noncanonical; Pyroptosis