Inflammasomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

Innate immune responses are the host's first line of defense against human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1)infection,with pattern recognition receptors detecting viral specific pathogen-associatedmolecular patterns and initiating antiviral responses.In response to HIV-1 nucleic acids or proteins,some pattern recognition receptors have the ability to assemble a large multiprotein complex called the inflammasome,which triggers pro-inflammatory cytokine release and a form of lytic programmed cell death called pyroptosis.Here,we review our current understanding of the mechanism of the inflammasome in sensing HIV-1 infection.Furthermore,we discuss the contribution of inflammasome activation in HIV-1 pathogenesis as well as potential strategies of targeting inflammasome activation for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.