Inflammasomes in Cancer: a Double-edged Sword

Overview

Journal Protein Cell

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialties Biochemistry
Cell Biology

Date 2014 Jan 30

PMID 24474192

Citations 145

Authors

Ryan Kolb

Guang-Hui Liu

Ann M Janowski

Fayyaz S Sutterwala

Weizhou Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chronic inflammatory responses have long been observed to be associated with various types of cancer and play decisive roles at different stages of cancer development. Inflammasomes, which are potent inducers of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 during inflammation, are large protein complexes typically consisting of a Nod-like receptor (NLR), the adapter protein ASC, and Caspase-1. During malignant transformation or cancer therapy, the inflammasomes are postulated to become activated in response to danger signals arising from the tumors or from therapy-induced damage to the tumor or healthy tissue. The activation of inflammasomes plays diverse and sometimes contrasting roles in cancer promotion and therapy depending on the specific context. Here we summarize the role of different inflammasome complexes in cancer progression and therapy. Inflammasome components and pathways may provide novel targets to treat certain types of cancer; however, using such agents should be cautiously evaluated due to the complex roles that inflammasomes and pro-inflammatory cytokines play in immunity.

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