A clear and present danger: inflammasomes DAMPing down disorders of pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
When the normal progression of pregnancy is threatened, inflammatory processes are often amplified in order to minimize detrimental effects and eliminate noxious agents. Inflammasomes are unique, intracellular, multiprotein assemblies that enable caspase-1 mediated proteolytic processing of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β, levels of which are elevated in some forms of preterm birth and maternal metabolic disorders.


METHODS
A comprehensive review based on a search of PubMed and Medline for terms and combinations of terms incorporating 'inflammation', 'inflammasome', 'pregnancy', 'preterm birth', 'pre-eclampsia', 'interleukin-1', 'caspase-1' and others selected to capture key articles.


RESULTS
In the decade since the discovery of the inflammasome, between January 2002 and June 2014 over 2200 articles have been published. Articles in the reproductive field are scarce but there is clear evidence for a role of the inflammasome axis in pregnancy, preterm birth and the maternal metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Further investigations on the inflammasome in pregnancy are needed in order to elucidate the biology of this unique structure in reproduction. Coordination of maternal, fetal and placental aspects of inflammasome function will potentially yield new information on the detection and transduction of host and non-host signals in the inflammatory response.
Division of Medical Sciences & Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre, Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3DT, UK raheela.khan@nottingham.ac.uk.
Raheela N
RN
Khan
Division of Medical Sciences & Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre, Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3DT, UK.
Daniel P
DP
Hay
D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000276:immunology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000276:immunology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000276:immunology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D058847:Inflammasomes; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020170:Caspase 1
inflammasome; inflammation; pre-eclampsia; pregnancy; preterm birth