Emerging roles of absent in melanoma 2 in cardiovascular diseases

Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a member of the PYHIN (pyrin and HIN domain-containing protein) family with important roles in sensing double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and assembling the AIM2 inflammasome, which has wide-ranging, pro-inflammatory and pro-pyroptotic properties. The AIM2 inflammasome can become activated in atherosclerotic plaque, abdominal aortic aneurysm wall and injured myocardium, and its activation is tightly regulated by a variety of atherogenic factors. Activation of the AIM2 inflammasome has close links to the progression of several cardiovascular diseases. This review will summarize the current knowledge of AIM2 biology, providing the latest insights into the mechanisms and contributions of atherogenic factors to AIM2 inflammasome activation. In addition, we will also explore crosstalk between AIM2 and the pathologies of atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, myocardial infarction and heart failure. A better understanding of the pathological roles of AIM2 in these disorders will be helpful in developing novel therapeutic approaches.