=====Inflammasome===== Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that function as sensors of cellular stress, infection, or damage, leading to the activation of [[inflammatory response]]s. They trigger the activation of [[Caspase-1]] and subsequently the maturation of proinflammatory [[cytokine]]s [[interleukin]]-1β and interleukin-18. These cytokines play a critical role in mediating [[inflammation]] and innate immunity response. Among various inflammasome complexes, the [[NLRP3]] inflammasome is the best characterized, which has been demonstrated as a crucial role in various diseases. ---- Since [[cytokine storm]] has been known as a major mechanism followed by [[SARS-CoV-2]], [[inflammasome]] may trigger an inflammatory form of lytic [[programmed cell death]] ([[pyroptosis]]) following SARS-CoV-2 infection and contribute to associated neurological complications. Sepehrinezhad et al. reviewed and discussed the possible role of inflammasome and its consequence pyroptosis following [[coronavirus]] infections as potential mechanisms of [[neurotropism]] by SARS-CoV-2. Further studies, particularly postmortem analysis of brain samples obtained from COVID-19 patients, can shed light on the possible role of the inflammasome in [[neurotropism]] of SARS-CoV-2 ((Sepehrinezhad A, Gorji A, Sahab Negah S. SARS-CoV-2 may trigger inflammasome and pyroptosis in the central nervous system: a mechanistic view of neurotropism. Inflammopharmacology. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1007/s10787-021-00845-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34241783.))