Inflammasomes: Clinical and Therapeutic Implications

The inflammasome is a protein complex composed of an intracellular sensor-typically a Nod-like receptor (NLR), the precursor procaspase-1, and the adaptor ASC. Inflammasome activation leads to the maturation of caspase-1 and the processing of its substrates, IL-1? and IL-18. The inflammasome has been implicated numerous diseases, and blockade of inflammasome-derived IL-1? has beneficial effects on several of these diseases. Different books have been edited about the biology of inflammasomes and about methods to study, however, the implication of this complex in the different diseases and pathological conditions show the need of a book about the clinical implications and therapeutic options. This project will show the context where inflammasomes are being studied and the molecular implications in the medical and clinical contexts.
Other important topic of the inflammasomes will be the development of pharmacological inhibitors in order to improve new clinical applications. In this sense, we can find new drugs with inhibitory effects or old drugs with an inhibitory potential effect. There is a need for re-establishing the real benefits of the inflammasome inhibitions in pathological situations and the management of the differents diseases where inflammasomes are implicated.

Mario D Cordero is Research Associate at the University of Sevilla. He studies the role of inflammasomes in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, with special attention on the implication of NLRP3 in age-associated diseases. He is also involved in the evaluation of inflammasome inhibitors in rare diseases.

Dr Cordero is one of the editors of volume no. 107 on AMP-activated protein kinases in the same series.  

Elísabet Alcocer-Gómez is Research Associate at the University of Sevilla. Her scientific interest is the implication of inflammasome complexes in psychiatric diseases and the effect of psychiatric drugs on the inhibition or induction of inflammasome activation.