NLRP۳ inflammasome and viral infections of the CNS: A narrative review

Introduction: Our brain can become infected by a variety of viruses including Zika, Herpes and HIV. Acutecentral nervous system(CNS) virus infections can cause meningitis, meningoencephalitis, myelitis, orencephalitis. In order to prevent viral infection, the innate immune system serves as the initial line of defenseand it can use inflammasomes to mediate inflammatory responses. Inflammasomes are multiproteinmacromolecular complexes that activate caspase in the cytosol and control the activation of inflammatoryresponses, cause secretion pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin ۱۶ and ۱۸ and type of cell death calledpyroptosis. The most prevalent inflammasome in the CNS is NLRP۳. Numerous chemical patterns linked topathogens and dangers are recognized by NLRP۳. In this review we discuss the brain viral infections and therole of NLRP۳ inflammasome in their pathogenesis.Methods: In this review article, we searched four databases (Pubmed, the Cochrane Database of SystematicReviews, Embase and Scopus) up to october ۲۳, ۲۰۲۳, for published articles on NLRP۳, Viral brain infectionsand their mechanisms. Non-published studies, studies that were not published in indexed journals or publishedwithout peer review, and studies that are not available in English were excluded.Results: This study demonstrated that viruses affect the NLRP۳ in different ways including ROS, Ca۲+ influx,K+ efflux and Osteopontin(OPN) through their virulence factors such as Protein R, gp۱۲۰, Vpu (in HIV), NP(in SFTSV), Spike protein(Covid-۱۹), NS۵(Zika virus) or proper activation pathway of NLRP۳(NF-κB) andcause inflammation in the CNS.Conclusion: We can limit and even treat brain viral infections through controlling the activation of the NLRP۳and its products of activation. Future study should focus their attention on this molecule and experiment onpossible therapeutic horizons

کلیدواژه ها:

Virus ، Brain ، Inflammation ، NLRP۳