Inflammasome complexes are important effectors of innate immune responses, and chronic inflammation in the gut has been linked to tumorigenesis. Zhong et al. have found germline gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding the inflammasome receptor, NLRP1. These mutations cause two skin disorders that are associated with epidermal hyperplasia and they relieve auto-inhibition of NLRP1 activity such that carriers exhibit spontaneous inflammation.
References
Zhong, F. L. et al. Germline NLRP1 mutations cause skin inflammatory and cancer susceptibility syndromes via inflammasome activation. Cell 167, 187–202 (2016)
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Alderton, G. Skin inflammation predisposes to cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 16, 678 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc.2016.120
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc.2016.120