RNase L and the NLRP3-inflammasome: An old merchant in a new trade

Approximately 40 years ago, a novel observation from Ian Kerr ’s laboratory at the National Institute for Medical Research in the United Kingdom led to the discovery of the absolute requirement of ATP for the inhibition of protein synthesis by double-stranded (ds) RNAs in extracts of interferon (IFN)-stimulated cells [1]. Subsequently, two distinct pathways were established that could sense dsRNA viral intermediates and inhibit protein synthesis either directly or indirectly: (i) protein kinase R (PKR) pathway: a type I IFN-regulated protein kinase, activated by dsRNA that phosphorylates eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (reviewed in Refs.
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Tags: Mini review Source Type: research