Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes, including NLRP3, AIM3, NLRP1, NLRC4, which act as a key immune sensor sensing changes in homeostatic cellular state. In particular, inflammasomes, through the processing and release of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, shape the central and/or peripheral immune/inflammatory responses in autoinflammatory syndromes, neurological, metabolic, and chronic inflammatory diseases, including cryopyrin-associated autoinflammatory syndromes (CAPS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), obesity and type 2 diabetes, and gout to only name a few. It is becoming increasingly apparent that drugs targeting the NLRP3 pathway could represent suitable therapeutic options for the management of a large variety of diseases.

However, current challenges in this field remain and include: 1) understanding the role of these enzymatic complexes in the onset and development of metabolic, neurological and inflammatory disorders; 2) identifying and testing the best way to inhibit the inflammasome activation pathways and exert beneficial effects in a plethora of diseases; 3) possible side effects associated with the inhibition of inflammasomes; 4) the lack of translational evidence about the effects of drugs (phytochemicals, biologics or chemical entities) targeting NLRP3 in patients with CNS, metabolic, or inflammatory diseases.

In this context, current research efforts are focusing attention on a better understanding of the role of inflammasomes in the pathophysiology of a plethora of diseases, including CNS, metabolic and chronic inflammatory disorders, as well as on the effects of novel chemical entities, phytochemicals and biologics acting on inflammasome signalling in such diseases.

Given the high complexity of the pathophysiological role of inflammasome pathways, strong efforts are needed to clarify how inflammasomes acts as immune sentinel and thus contributing to the onset and development of several disorders. Most importantly, efforts are needed to understand the better strategies in potentially inhibiting inflammasome signalling and counteracting the progression of such diseases.

Based on the above background, the goal of this present Research Topic is to provide new insights on the role of inflammasomes in the pathophysiology of diseases, as well as on the effects of novel chemical entities, phytochemicals and biologic drugs in the counteracting central neuroinflammation, metabolic alterations, and immune/inflammatory responses in such diseases.

Original Research papers, Review articles, Perspective and Commentaries showing the role of inflammasomes in the pathophysiology of diseases as well as the effects of the pharmacological modulation of this enzymatic complexes in animal models as well as in humans (if any) with central, metabolic and inflammatory diseases, are welcomed to this Research Topic. We aim to include:

- Neurological diseases (i.e. Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorder, depression)
- Metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes) and related comorbidities
- Chronic inflammatory diseases (inflammatory bowel diseases, gout, rheumatoid arthritis)

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Frontiers in Pharmacology

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