NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) is a cytosolic innate immune sensor of cellular stress signals, triggered by infection and sterile inflammation. Upon detection of an activating stimulus, NLRP3 transitions from an inactive homo-oligomeric multimer into an active multimeric inflammasome, which promotes the helical oligomeric assembly of the adaptor molecule ASC. ASC oligomers provide a platform for caspase-1 activation, leading to the proteolytic cleavage and activation of proinflammatory cytokines in the IL-1 family and gasdermin D, which can induce a lytic form of cell death. Recent studies investigating both the cellular requirement for NLRP3 activation and the structure of NLRP3 have revealed the complex regulation of NLRP3 and the multiple steps involved in its activation. This review presents a perspective on the biochemical and cellular processes controlling the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome with particular emphasis on structural regulation and the role of organelles. We also highlight the latest research on metabolic control of this inflammatory pathway and discuss promising clinical targets for intervention.

Extracellular signals drive the nucleation of the NLRP3 inflammasome which leads to the release of cytokines and causes inflammatory events. Hence, the inflammasome has gained enormous momentum in biomedical basic research. The detailed mechanisms of inflammasome generation and regulation remain to be elucidated. Our study was directed toward the design, convergent synthesis, and initial biochemical evaluation of activity-based probes addressing NLRP3. For this purpose, probes were assembled from a CRID3/MCC950-related NLRP3-binding unit, a linker portion and a coumarin 343 fluorophore or biotin. The affinity of our probes to NLRP3 was demonstrated through SPR measurements and their cellular activity was confirmed by reduction of the interleukin 1β release from stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages. The initial characterizations of NLRP3-targeting probes highlighted the coumarin probe 2 as a suitable tool compound for the cellular and biochemical analysis of the NLRP3 inflammasome.