A low level of inflammation is an integral part of the balance between the immune system and the microbiota in the high antigen environment of the gastrointestinal tract and maintains homeostasis. A failure of this balance can lead to chronic intestinal inflammation and increase the chances to develop colorectal cancer significantly. The underlying mechanisms that link inflammation and carcinogenesis are not clear but the molecular platforms of the inflammasomes have been implicated. Inflammasomes are molecule complexes that are assembled in response to microbial components or cellular danger signals and facilitate the production of bioactive pro-inflammatory cytokines. One inflammasome in particular, NLRP3, has been analysed extensively in its contribution to colitis and has been shown to be associated with the development of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. This review will summarise the role of NLRP3 in intestinal inflammation, discuss some of the triggers of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract such as diet and introduce some opportunities to use this inflammasome as therapeutic target for the treatment of colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	NLRP3 inflammasome, colitis, colorectal cancer, intestinal inflammation
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Cellular immunology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Perera, AP (Mrs Agampodi Perera)
UTAS Author:	Sajnani, K (Miss Karishma Sajnani)
UTAS Author:	Dickinson, J (Professor Joanne Dickinson)
UTAS Author:	Eri, R (Associate Professor Raj Eri)
UTAS Author:	Korner, H (Professor Heinrich Korner)
ID Code:	128638
Year Published:	2018
Web of Science® Times Cited:	3
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2018-10-04
Last Modified:	2018-12-12
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