NALP3

NALP3 (also known as NLRP3 or Cryopyrin) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NLRP3 gene. It is a part of the larger NLR family of proteins, which are involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses and apoptotic cell death.

Function

NALP3 is a crucial component of the inflammasome, a multiprotein complex that activates inflammatory responses. The inflammasome is responsible for the activation of caspase-1, which in turn cleaves the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 into their active forms.

File:NLRP3 Inflammasome.jpg

The NLRP3 inflammasome complex

Clinical significance

Mutations in the NLRP3 gene are associated with a group of autoinflammatory syndromes, collectively known as Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS). These include Familial Cold Autoinflammatory Syndrome (FCAS), Muckle-Wells Syndrome (MWS) and Neonatal-Onset Multisystem Inflammatory Disease (NOMID).

Research

Research into NALP3 has potential implications for a variety of diseases, including gout, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and atherosclerosis. In particular, the role of NALP3 in the activation of the inflammasome and subsequent inflammatory responses has been a focus of research in these areas.

See also

• NOD-like receptor
• Inflammasome
• Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome