Cardiolipin and the Nlrp3 inflammasome.

Abstract

The Nlrp3 inflammasome is a key controller of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Iyer and colleagues (2013) demonstrate that Nlrp3 activators promote an interaction between cardiolipin in mitochondria and Nlrp3. Cardiolipin is thus a hydrophobic danger signal that, upon translocation to the outer mitochondrial membrane, activates Nlrp3, promoting inflammation.