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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages
Published on: May 21, 2018
The inflammasome in atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes
Seth L Masters1, Eicke Latz, Luke A J O'Neill
1Immunology Research Centre, Inflammation Research Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. smasters@tcd.ie
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is the cause of morbiditiy for 70% of patients with type 2 diabetes. In both of these diseases, a protein complex known as the inflammasome is stimulated to activate interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, which are pathogenic inflammatory cytokines. Triggers for the inflammasome are obesity-related factors, such as cholesterol crystals in atherosclerosis, or hyperglycemia, ceramides, and islet amyloid polypeptide in type 2 diabetes. Therapeutics that target IL-1β in clinical trials for type 2 diabetes might also decrease the incidence of atherosclerosis.
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