TRIM Proteins in Inflammation: from Expression to Emerging Regulatory Mechanisms

Inflammation is an immune response to exogenous or endogenous insults that helps to maintain the tissue homeostasis under stressful conditions. Depending on the differential types of insults, inflammation is classified into microbial, autoimmune, metabolic, allergic, and physical inflammation. With regard to its involvement in the pathogenesis of most of human diseases, dissecting the key molecules in the regulation of inflammatory process is vital for the prevention and therapeutics of human diseases. Tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are a versatile family of E3 ligases, which are composed of > 80 distinct members in humans recognized for their roles in antiviral responses. Recently, a large number of studies have shown the regulatory roles of TRIM proteins in mediating the inflammation. Herein in this review, we discuss the aberrations of TRIM proteins in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, with a focus on the regulation of different components of inflammatory process, including inflammasome, NF-κB signaling, type I IFN (interferon) production, and Th1/Th17 cell differentiation. Importantly, elucidation of the mechanism underlying the regulation of inflammation by TRIMs provides insights into the use of TRIMs as therapeutic targets for disease treatment.