title: Is the inflammasome relevant for epithelial cell function?
abstract: Inflammasomes are intracellular protein complexes that sense microbial components and damage of infected cells. Following activation by molecules released by pathogens or injured cells, inflammasomes activate caspase-1, allowing secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 from innate immune cells. Inflammasomes are also expressed in epithelial cells, where their function has attracted less attention. Nonetheless, depending on the tissue, epithelial inflammasomes can mediate inflammation, wound healing, and pain sensitivity. We review here recent findings on inflammasomes found in epithelial tissues, highlighting the importance of these protein complexes in the response of epithelial tissues to microbial infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA; Laboratory of Immunophysiology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hsin-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Institut Gustave Roussy, Cell Death and Aging Laboratory, INSERM U1030, Villejuif, France. Electronic address: perfettini@orange.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perfettini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Paris-Sud, Orsay, France. Electronic address: jean.kanellopoulos@u-psud.fr.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kanellopoulos
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: dingeyoung@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunophysiology, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: rcsilva@biof.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Robson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: dojcius@pacific.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ojcius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D058847:Inflammasomes
keywords: Caspase-1; Cell repair; Epithelium; Inflammation; NLRP3