Inflammasomes : Mechanism of Action, Regulation and Role in Disease

The term inflammasome was coined over a decade ago to describe the molecular platform activated by pathogens or stressor molecules where inflammatory caspases are triggered and cleavage of IL-1 takes place. Inflammasome regulation is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis: an imbalance in this fine-tuning is responsible for the establishment of infectious, autoimmune, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. This book examines the activation and function of inflammasomes during fungal infections; inflammasome involvement in carcinogenesis; and the role of inflammasomes in protozoan infections.