NLRP3 Inflammasome and Its Central Role in the Cardiovascular Diseases

Background/Aims. NLRP3 inflammasome, an inflammasome which consists of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain- (Nod-) like receptor3 (NLRP3) scaffold, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) containing a CARD adaptor, and pro-caspase-1, is assembled after the cytoplasmic leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) of NLRP3 sense pathogens or danger signals. In recent years, the role of inflammasome in cardiovascular diseases has attracted mounting attention, and the in-depth study of its mechanism is gradually clear. Materials. The NLRP3 inflammasome controls the activation of the proteolytic enzyme caspase-1. Caspase-1 in turn regulates the maturation of the proinflammasome cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-18, which leads to an inflammatory response. We made a mini-review on the association of regulatory mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome with the development of cardiovascular diseases systematically based on the recent research studies. Discussion. The inflammasome plays an indispensable role in the development of atherosclerosis, coronary heart diseases (CHD), and heart ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, and NLRP3 inflammasome may become a new target for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Effective regulation of NLRP3 may help prevent or even treat cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion. This mini-review focuses on the association of regulatory mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome with the development of cardiovascular diseases, which may supply some important clues for future therapies and novel drug targets for cardiovascular diseases.