title: Molecular activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in fibrosis: common threads linking divergent fibrogenic diseases.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Over the past 10 years, there has been a plethora of investigations centering on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in fibrosis and other disease pathologies. To date, the signaling pathways from the inflammasome to myofibroblast differentiation and chronic collagen synthesis have not been fully elucidated, and many questions are left to be answered.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have demonstrated the significant and critical role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium signaling in the assembly of the inflammasome, and this may result in autocrine signaling maintaining the myofibroblast phenotype, leading to fibrotic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Traditionally, myofibroblasts under tight regulation aid in wound healing and then, once the wound has closed, undergo apoptosis and the collagen in the wound remodels. During fibrosis, however, the myofibroblast maintains an activated state via a chronically activated inflammasome, leading to the continual synthesis of collagens and other extracellular matrix proteins that result in damage to the tissue or organ. The mechanism that is driving this abnormality has not been fully elucidated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  However, studies have been conducted to suggest that modulating the calcium or the ROS axis may be of therapeutic value in regulating inflammasome activation. A number of novel drugs are currently being developed that may prove beneficial to patients suffering from fibrotic diseases.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Artlett
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Thacker
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D058847:Inflammasomes; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D002118:Calcium