The NLRP3 inflammasome at the crossroads of innate immune signaling and cell death.

NLRP3 inflammasome integrates innate immune signaling and cell death pathways, coordinating inflammatory responses and pyroptosis during infections and inflammation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how NLRP3 interacts with other immune and cell death pathways is crucial for developing targeted therapies for infectious and inflammatory diseases, yet these complex networks are not fully elucidated.
• What they did: The authors review recent advances in molecular mechanisms, including shared signaling components, organelle dynamics, and posttranslational modifications, based on studies of NLRP3's interactions with Toll-like receptors, cGAS-STING, RIG-I/MDA5-MAVS, and other inflammasomes.
• The result: This synthesis highlights how interconnected signaling networks influence disease progression and suggests new avenues for therapeutic intervention by targeting inflammasome-related pathways.