# Inflammasome and Mitophagy Connection in Health and Disease

## TL;DR

This paper explores how the inflammasome and mitophagy interact to influence health and disease, and how targeting this connection could lead to new therapies.

## Contribution

The paper provides new insights into the crosstalk between inflammasome and mitophagy and its therapeutic potential.

## Key findings

- The inflammasome and mitophagy regulate each other to control inflammation and cell death.
- Dysregulation of this connection contributes to diseases like cancer and metabolic disorders.
- Pharmacological agents targeting this interaction are being developed for therapeutic use.

## Abstract

The inflammasome is a large intracellular protein complex that activates inflammatory caspase-1 and induces the maturation of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Mitophagy plays an essential role in the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis during stress. Previous studies have indicated compelling evidence of the crosstalk between inflammasome and mitophagy. Mitophagy regulation of the inflammasome, or vice versa, is crucial for various biological functions, such as controlling inflammation and metabolism, immune and anti-tumor responses, and pyroptotic cell death. Uncontrolled regulation of the inflammasome often results in pathological inflammation and pyroptosis, and causes a variety of human diseases, including metabolic and inflammatory diseases, infection, and cancer. Here, we discuss how improved understanding of the interactions between inflammasome and mitophagy can lead to novel therapies against various disease pathologies, and how the inflammasome-mitophagy connection is currently being targeted pharmacologically by diverse agents and small molecules. A deeper understanding of the inflammasome-mitophagy connection will provide new insights into human health and disease through the balance between mitochondrial clearance and pathology.