NALP3 inflammasome upregulation and CASP1 cleavage of the glucocorticoid receptor cause glucocorticoid resistance in leukemia cells

William Evans and colleagues find that the proinflammatory genes CASP1 and NLRP3 are expressed at higher levels in primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells that are resistant than in those that are sensitive to glucocorticoid treatment. They find that CASP1 mediates glucocorticoid resistance through cleavage of the glucocorticoid receptor.