Impaired inflammasome activation and bacterial clearance in G6PD deficiency due to defective NOX/p38 MAPK/AP-1 redox signaling

Yen, Wei-Chen; Wu, Yi-Hsuan; Wu, Chih-Ching; Lin, Hsin-Ru; Stern, Arnold; Chen, Shih-Hsiang; Shu, Jwu-Ching; Tsun-Yee Chiu, Daniel

A key physiological function of the innate immune response is the activation of the inflammasome [25, 26] . This mainly leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18, in response to invading pathogens [27] . The most common inflammasomes include NLRP1, AIM2, NLRP3, and NLRC4, and are classified by their oligomer composition and different stimuli [25] . Among the inflammasomes, NLRP3 is stimulated by environmental-and pathogen/host-derived factors. The processes mediated by inflammasomes are critical during microbial infections, including the regulation of metabolic processes and mucosal immune responses [28] . The activation of the inflammasome requires strict regulation; otherwise, it leads to many diseases [29] [30] [31] [32] . How G6PD is involved in the activation of the inflammasome has not been clearly defined.