NLRs and preeclampsia: Advances in etiology, pathogenesis, and therapeutic targeting, highlighting NLRP3

Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex pregnancy disorder. It is characterized by hypertension and multi-organ dysfunction, significantly contributing to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Recent studies underscore the important contribution of NOD-like receptors (NLRs), particularly the NLRP3 inflammasome, to PE development. This review synthesizes the most recent data on NLRs in PE, focusing on their role in disease genesis, pathogenic processes, biomarker potential, and therapeutic consequences. Key characteristics of PE include dysregulated NLR activity, excessive inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and impaired trophoblast invasion. The genetic and epigenetic control of NLRs-as well as their modulation by non-coding RNAs-further clarifies their relevance in PE. New treatment techniques targeting NLR pathways are also being explored, including small-molecule inhibitors, antioxidant approaches, and microRNA-based interventions. The potential of NLR-related biomarkers for early diagnosis and risk stratification is also under investigation. Despite encouraging preclinical and translational research, validating NLR-targeted treatments for clinical use remains difficult. Future studies should focus on developing treatments to improve maternal and fetal outcomes and on incorporating NLR-based biomarkers into multi-omics systems.