Inflammasome Proteins as Biomarkers of Injury and Disease

The document from 2014 explores the significance of inflammasome proteins as biomarkers for various injuries and diseases due to their role in the immune response. It highlights that elevated levels of these proteins, such as caspase-1, NLRP1, NLRP3, and ASC, are associated with poor outcomes in conditions like traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and type II diabetes mellitus, where they can indicate disease progression or predict treatment response. In the context of androgenetic alopecia, higher levels of caspase-1 in hair follicles are linked to a lack of response to finasteride treatment. The document also notes the involvement of inflammasomes in atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and male infertility post-spinal cord injury, suggesting their potential as diagnostic and prognostic tools due to their accessibility in tissue fluids and exosomes.