Inflammation is a recognized component of many diseases, including atherosclerosis and its complications. IL-1β is a crucial cytokine promoting the inflammatory cascade. In the February 2017 issue of Nature Medicine, Furman et al. show that metabolites can trigger inflammation via inflammasome-dependent IL-1β production in elderly individuals. Intriguingly, caffeine is protective by offsetting this activation.
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The authors acknowledge funding from the NHLBI and the MGH Research Scholar programme.
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Swirski, F., Nahrendorf, M. Old, caffeinated, and healthy. Nat Rev Cardiol 14, 194–196 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2017.22
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2017.22