Pyroptosis: An inflammatory cell death implicates in atherosclerosis

Cell death and inflammation are the fundamental biological processes in both normal physiology and pathology. Apoptosis is the most well-studied process of cell death, but there are also many other forms of cell death such as necrosis, autophagy and pyroptosis. Cell death could be observed throughout atherosclerosis and plays an important role in determining the fate of atherosclerotic lesion. Inflammation, the primary response of innate immunity, is considered essential in initiating and driving atherosclerosis. Apoptosis and autophagy had been reported in atherosclerosis, however, the mechanism of cell death involved in atherosclerosis still remain largely unknown. Cell death and inflammation are inextricably linked with their effectors modulating the process of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we proposed hypothesis that pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of cell death, may be implicated in atherosclerosis and play an important role in lesion instability. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.