%A Skeldon,Alexander %A Saleh,Maya %D 2011 %J Frontiers in Microbiology %C %F %G English %K bacteria secretion system,caspase,Cell Death,Infection,Inflammation,innate immunity,Pattern Recognition Receptors,virus fungi parasite %Q %R 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00015 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2011-February-17 %9 Review %+ Dr Maya Saleh,McGill University,Medicine,Montreal,Canada,maya.saleh@mcgill.ca %+ Dr Maya Saleh,McGill University,Biochemistry,Montreal,Canada,maya.saleh@mcgill.ca %# %! Inflammasomes in host resistance %* %< %T The Inflammasomes: Molecular Effectors of Host Resistance Against Bacterial, Viral, Parasitic, and Fungal Infections %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2011.00015 %V 2 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1664-302X %X The inflammasomes are large multi-protein complexes scaffolded by cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that form an important part of the innate immune system. They are activated following the recognition of microbial-associated molecular patterns or host-derived danger signals (danger-associated molecular patterns) by PRRs. This recognition results in the recruitment and activation of the pro-inflammatory protease caspase-1, which cleaves its preferred substrates pro-interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and pro-IL-18 into their mature biologically active cytokine forms. Through processing of a number of other cellular substrates, caspase-1 is also required for the release of “alarmins” and the induction and execution of an inflammatory form of cell death termed pyroptosis. A growing spectrum of inflammasomes have been identified in the host defense against a variety of pathogens. Reciprocally, pathogens have evolved effector strategies to antagonize the inflammasome pathway. In this review we discuss recent developments in the understanding of inflammasome-mediated recognition of bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections and the beneficial or detrimental effects of inflammasome signaling in host resistance.