The NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor [NLR] family pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasome is a member of the NLR family of innate immune cell sensors. These are crucial regulators of cytokine secretions, which promote ischemic cell death and insulin resistance. This review summarizes recent progress regarding the NLRP3 inflammasome as a potential treatment for ischemic stroke in patients with diabetes, two complicated diseases that often occur together. Stroke worsens glucose metabolism abnormalities, and the outcomes after stroke are more serious for diabetic patients compared with those without diabetes. Inflammation contributes to organ injury after ischemic stroke and diabetes. Recent research has focused on inhibiting the activation of inflammasomes and thus reducing the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Studies suggest that inhibition of NLRP3 prevents or alleviates both ischemic stroke and diabetes. Targeting against the assembly and activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome is a potential and novel therapy for inflammasome-associated diseases, including ischemic stroke concomitant with diabetes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.