The Role of Inflammasomes in Intestinal Inflammation

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis cause severe gastrointestinal dysfunction and reduce the quality of life. Despite intensive research, the exact pathogenesis of IBD remains elusive. Mucosal immune responses are central to intestinal homeostasis. Immune responses in the gut are orchestrated through innate and adaptive immune responses. In this paper, we will focus on innate immune responses mounted through Toll-like receptors (TLR) and NOD-like receptors (NLR). Recently, inflammasome protein complexes working through Iinterleukin-1β and 18 Iinterleukin have been shown to play a pivotal role in the maintenance of gut homeostasis. Recent research work indicates NLRs such as NLRP1, NLRP 3, NLRP 6 and NLRP 12 provide functional roles in inflammasome activation in intestinal physiology. This review highlights the role of inflammasomes in intestinal health and dysfunction.