环境中的纳米微米材料可以通过不同的暴露方式进入机体，从而与免疫系统相互租用。因此检测纳米材料潜在的免疫毒理学效应就显得尤为重要。.本项目着眼于炎症反应的基础，炎症小体的激活和白介素1的释放，研究纳米微米颗粒对炎症小体激活的机制。由于纳米材料在生物介质中会形成蛋白质晕，其显著影响纳米颗粒的生物学效应。因此鉴定不同纳米微米材料在人血清和血浆中形成的蛋白质晕的成分，并检测蛋白质晕，纳米颗粒，及纳米蛋白复合物对炎症小体的激活作用，以及蛋白质晕对纳米颗粒细胞内定位，胞内ROS水平的作用，并研究细胞内定位，ROS与炎症小体激活的关系。最后确定纳米颗粒诱导细胞凋亡的机理以及细胞凋亡与炎症小体以及白介素1α的关系。通过以上研究，旨在找到抑制纳米微米颗粒诱导炎症小体激活的有效位点，从而应对纳米微米颗粒诱导的人类疾病（如肺吸入PM2.5颗粒或者纳米颗粒而引起的肺部炎症，硅肺病或者慢性阻塞性肺疾病等）。

With the development of nanotechnology and the wide use of nanomaterials, it has become necessary to assess the potential adverse effects of nanoparticles on immune system, which is because the immune system takes responsibility for defending the integrity of our body and maintaining its health. .In this project, we will study inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion upon nanoparticles stimulation in cells given the fundamental role of inflammasome in innate immune activation and inflammation. Different nanoparticles with various sizes and chemistries will be used to determine their capacity on inflammasome activation and IL-1 secretion. To study the mechanisms behind this, the protein-nanoparticles interaction will be analyzed and the biocorona on different nanoparticles will be determined. Since the key impact of protein corona on nanoparticles’ biological effects, its role on nanoparticle-induced inflammasome activation will be further investigated, e.g. the role of biocorona on intracellular ROS, the location of nanoparticle in cells. Finally, we will investigate the mechanism of nano-induced apoptosis/necrosis and how these apoptosis/necrosis associated with inflammasome activation and IL-1α secration..This project will generate novel data of nanoparticles-induced inflammasome activation, towards understanding the mechanisms of nanoparticles-induced inflammation, as well as the IL-1 secretion process upon nanoparticles stimulation. This information will not only facilitate risk assessment of nanoparticles and pave the way for development of biomarkers of harmful nanoparticles, which will benefit to treat human inflammatory diseases (lung inflammation, COPD), but also contribute a fundamental understanding on inflammasome and its process during inflammation.