Inflammasomes and Cancer

Abstract

Inflammation affects all stages of tumorigenesis. A key signaling pathway leading to acute and chronic inflammation is through activation of the caspase-1 inflammasome. Inflammasome complexes are assembled on activation of certain nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing proteins (NLRs), AIM2-like receptors (ALRs), or pyrin. Of these, NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC4, NLRP6 and AIM2 influence the pathogenesis of cancer by modulating innate and adaptive immune responses, cell death, proliferation, and/or the gut microbiota. Activation of the inflammasome and IL-18 signaling pathways is largely protective in colitis-associated colorectal cancer, whereas excessive inflammation driven by the inflammasome or the IL-1 signaling pathways promotes breast cancer, fibrosarcoma, gastric carcinoma, and lung metastasis in a context-dependent manner. The clinical relevance of inflammasomes in multiple forms of cancer highlights their therapeutic promise as molecular targets. In this Review, we explore the crossroads between inflammasomes and the development of various tumors, and discuss possible therapeutic values in targeting the inflammasome for the prevention and treatment of cancer.