Enteroviral 3C protease activates the human NLRP1 inflammasome in airway epithelia

Immune sensor proteins are critical to the function of the human innate immune system. The full repertoire of cognate triggers for human immune sensors is not fully understood. Here, Robinson, Zhong, Reversade and team report that the human NLR, NLRP1, is activated by 3C proteases (3Cpros) of enteroviruses. Their findings establish 3Cpros as a pathogen-derived trigger for the human NLRP1 inflammasome and suggest that NLRP1 may contribute to inflammatory diseases of the airway.