Inflammasome-Dependent Mechanisms Involved in Sensing and Restriction of Bacterial Replication

Inflammasomes are multiprotein platforms assembled in the cytosol in response to pathogens and cell stress. Inflammasomes are recognized by their important role on defences against bacterial infections and have been also implicated in a range of human inflammatory disorders. Intracellular sensors such as NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2 and Pyrin induce assembly of inflammasomes, while caspase-11 induces the non-canonical pathway for activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The formation of the inflammasome leads to caspase-1 activation that triggers pyroptosis and activation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. Pyroptotic cell death and cytokines production are involved in restriction of bacterial replication by limiting the replication niche of intracellular bacteria and by inducing inflammatory responses. In this review we focus on the mechanisms mediated by inflammasome activation that leads to inflammatory responses and restriction of bacterial infection.