Inflammasomes in stroke: a triggering role for acid-sensing ion channels

Stroke is devastating and a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. The innate immune response plays an important role in various brain injuries, including stroke, and targeting it for therapeutic interventions would likely prove beneficial. The panoply of inflammatory cells, which induce various cellular, hormonal, and biochemical alterations, mediates the rapid progression of injury in stroke. The inflammasome, a multiprotein oligomer and a key component of specific innate immune responses, contributes toward the worsening of stroke outcomes by activating inflammatory cytokines. Acidotoxicity, mediated by acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), also contributes toward exacerbating the condition. A role for ASICs in stroke, through the activation of the inflammasome, is emerging, which opens new avenues for understanding and intervening in stroke. In this review, we describe the various types of inflammasomes and their mechanisms of activation in stroke. Furthermore, therapeutic approaches targeting the inflammasome and that may be helpful in improving stroke outcome are discussed.