AUTHOR=Gavrilin Mikhail A., Wewers Mark D.

TITLE=Francisella Recognition by Inflammasomes: Differences between Mice and Men

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2011

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2011.00011

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2011.00011

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Pathogen recognition by intracellular sensors involves the assembly of a caspase-1 activation machine termed the inflammasome. Intracellular pathogens like <italic>Francisella</italic> that gain access to the cytosolic detection systems are useful tools to uncover the details of caspase-1 activation events. This review overviews <italic>Francisella</italic> function in the mononuclear phagocyte with particular attention to inflammasome versus pyroptosome roles and outlines differences between mouse and human caspase-1 activation pathways. Specific attention is placed on functional differences between human and murine pyrin as an intracellular recognition molecule for <italic>Francisella</italic>.</p>