Aberrant Inflammasome Activation as a Driving Force of Human Autoimmune Skin Disease

The document reviews the role of inflammasomes in autoimmune skin diseases, highlighting their importance in conditions such as vitiligo, alopecia areata, lichen planus, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, bullous pemphigoid, and psoriasis. Inflammasomes, which regulate interleukins IL-1β and IL-18, can contribute to chronic inflammation when aberrantly activated. The review suggests that dysregulation of inflammasomes could lead to new treatments for these diseases. It details the mechanisms by which inflammasomes are activated in keratinocytes, the role of genetic alterations in disease susceptibility, and the specific involvement of inflammasome components in various skin diseases. For instance, in vitiligo and alopecia areata, increased expression of NLRP3 and IL-1ß is observed, while in psoriasis, SNPs in inflammasome-associated genes and increased expression of IL-1 and IL-18 in lesional skin are noted. The document underscores the potential of targeting inflammasome activation as a therapeutic strategy.