The ASC protein, also known as apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (CARD), is a 22 kDa protein that serves as a central adaptor for inflammasome assembly. It is composed of two primary domains: the pyrin domain (PYD) and the caspase recruitment domain (CARD), which facilitate its role in immune signaling. ASC is crucial for the formation of the inflammasome complex, which is activated in response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). This activation leads to the recruitment and activation of pro-caspase-1, resulting in the maturation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). The ASC protein is expressed in various immune and non-immune cells and plays a significant role in immune homeostasis and disease progression, including cancer, bacterial and viral infections, and inflammatory diseases.
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