發炎體（inflammasome）是細胞內由多個蛋白所組成的複合體，為細胞凋亡酶（caspase）活化所必需的反應平台。細胞內的感染或刺激能將發炎體活化，並誘導發炎性細胞激素，如IL-1β的成熟及分泌，進而啟動一連串天然免疫反應。發炎體的失調與風濕疾病有關，代表性的疾病有cryopyrin相關週期症候群及痛風，而IL-1抑制劑能有效治療此病症，顯示出發炎體在這兩種疾病扮演重要的角色，此外類風濕關節炎、退化性關節炎、幼年特發性關節炎及成人史迪爾氏症候群等風濕性疾病也與發炎體有關，本文藉由回顧最新文獻，使我們更深入的了解發炎體對風濕疾病的影響。

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes as a platform for activation of caspase. Upon microbial or endogenous stimuli, inflammasomes are activated and trigger the maturation of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 to initiate innate immune defenses. Inflammasome dysregulation has been implicated in the pathology of inflammatory diseases. Two representative diseases are cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes and gout. Both were effectively treated by IL-1 inhibitors. This highlights a prominent role of inflammasone in the pathogenesis of both diseases. In addition, inflammasome may be mediated in other rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and adult-onset Still’s disease. In this article, we review the biology of inflammasione as well as its role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic disease.