Inflammasome activation and metabolic disease progression

Innate pattern recognition receptors NLRs are cytosolic sensors that detect endogenous metabolic stress and form a multiprotein complex called the inflammasome, that recruits and activates caspase enzymes mediating the activation of the cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. The innate immune system and metabolic system are evolutionarily conserved, intimately integrated, and functionally dependent. In recent decades, obesity-associated metabolic diseases have been become a worldwide epidemic. Here we review recent evidence that demonstrates the important roles of NLRs and inflammasomes in response to metabolic stress in different tissues.