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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages
Published on: May 21, 2018
Disease-associated amyloid and misfolded protein aggregates activate the inflammasome
Seth L Masters1, Luke A J O'Neill
1Immunology Research Centre, Inflammation Research Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. smasters@tcd.ie
Abstract:
The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis continues to be debated. Recently, the inflammasome protein complex has been shown to be a key regulator of IL-1β, a cytokine implicated in each of these diseases. In all three cases, it is now apparent that unique protein aggregates caused by inappropriate oligomerization or misfolding are sensed by the inflammasome, providing a unifying mechanism for this IL-1β production. What evolved as an innate defense against infection-related particles, therefore, now seems to be a driving force for inflammation in these diseases. This review discusses the basic research behind these findings and the potential for new therapeutic interventions this affords.
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