Regulation of cell proliferation and transdifferentiation compensates for ventilator‐induced lung injury mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome activation

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is an important means of respiratory support and treatment for various diseases. However, its use can lead to serious complications, especially ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI). The mechanisms underlying this disease are complex, but activation of inflammatory signalling pathways results in activation of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, which play key roles in VILI. Recent studies have demonstrated that nod‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation mediates VILI and also accompanied by cell proliferation and transdifferentiation to compensate for alveolar membrane damage. Type I alveolar epithelial cells (AECs I), which are involved in the formation of the blood‐air barrier, are vulnerable to damage but cannot proliferate by themselves; thus, replacing AECs I relies on type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs II). OBJECTIVE: The review aims to introduce the mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and its inhibitors, as well as the mechanisms that regulate cell proliferation and transdifferentiation. METHODS: A large number of relevant literature was searched, then the key content was summarized and figures were also made. RESULTS: The mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation has been further explored, including but not limited to pathogenic and aseptic inflammatory signals, such as, pathogenic molecular patterns and host‐derived danger‐associated molecular patterns activate toll‐like receptor 4/nuclear factor‐kappaB pathway or reactive oxygen species, cyclic stretch, adenosine triphosphate induce K+ efflux through P2X7, Ca(2+) inflow, mitochondrial damage, etc, eventually induce NIMA‐related kinase 7/NLRP3 binding and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Not only that, the review also described in detail the inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome. And the mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and transdifferentiation are complex and unclear, including the Wnt/β‐catenin, Yap/Taz, BMP/Smad and Notch signalling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: NLRP3 inflammasome activation mediated VILI, and VILI is alleviated after interfering with its activation, and inflammation and repair exist simultaneously in VILI. Clarifying these mechanisms is expected to provide theoretical guidance for alleviating VILI by inhibiting the inflammatory response and accelerating alveolar epithelial cell regeneration in the early stage.