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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

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Regulation of Lytic and Non-Lytic Functions of Gasdermin Pores

Sebastian Rühl1, Petr Broz2

  • 1Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.

Journal of Molecular Biology
|September 19, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Pyroptosis, a cell death form, involves gasdermin D (GSDMD) pores. These pores, beyond cell death, release signaling molecules and regulate cell functions.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular mechanisms of cell death

Background:

  • Pyroptosis is inflammatory cell death mediated by inflammasomes and caspases.
  • Gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage and N-terminal fragment pore formation are central to pyroptosis.
  • Gasdermin family members induce cell death during infection and chemotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the non-lytic functions of gasdermin pores.
  • To discuss the regulation of gasdermin pore formation and membrane permeabilization.
  • To examine cargo-release specificity and cellular repair mechanisms for gasdermin-induced damage.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on pyroptosis and gasdermin family.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms of gasdermin pore formation.
  • Discussion of cellular responses to gasdermin-mediated membrane damage.

Main Results:

  • Gasdermin pores facilitate non-lytic functions, including cytokine release and regulation of signaling via ionic fluxes.
  • Regulation of gasdermin pore formation controls membrane permeabilization versus lysis.
  • Gasdermin pores exhibit specificity in cargo release.
  • Cells possess mechanisms to repair gasdermin-induced plasma membrane damage.

Conclusions:

  • Gasdermin pores have diverse roles beyond cell death, impacting cellular signaling and tissue homeostasis.
  • Understanding gasdermin pore regulation is crucial for therapeutic targeting in inflammatory diseases and cancer.
  • Cellular repair mechanisms highlight the dynamic interplay between gasdermin activity and cell survival.
Keywords:
ESCRTcell deathgasderminsinflammasomespyroptosis

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