Working out how the inflammasome forms in atherosclerosis

Investigating the role of PLK1 in regulating inflammation

Atherosclerosis, the thickening of blood vessels with fatty deposits, is increasingly being linked with higher levels of inflammation (immune response). When something triggers an immune response, such as an infection or physical injury, a group of molecules assembles in immune cells called the inflammasome. It is this inflammasome that coordinates the immune response. Dr Xuan Li‘s lab recently identified key components involved in the formation of the inflammasome. They showed for the first time that it forms on the main scaffold structure of the cell, called the centrosome, and they have identified a key molecule that is involved in its formation – called Polo-like kinase (PLK1). PLK1 is known to be important in cell division, but scientists don’t know much about its function when the cell is not actively dividing. In this project Dr Li’s team will further explore how PLK1 contributes to the formation of the inflammasome and how it is linked with the coordination of the immune response in the whole body using mice that don’t have PLK1. This is among the first studies of centrosome-related molecules in inflammation, and it will reveal whether PLK1 is a possible target for anti-inflammatory drugs. This could lead to new drugs to treat inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis.