Highly polymorphic locus
NP_001155886.1
POLYMORPHISM: Nlrp1b gene is extremely polymorphic. 5 alleles have been described in 18 inbred strains: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. These alleles define susceptibility to Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT). Alleles 2 (carried by A/J, C57BL/6J and I/LnJ), 3 (AKR/J, NOD/LtJ and SJL/J) or 4 (DBA/2J, P/J and SM/J) are not activated by LT. Alleles 1 (carried by 129S1/SvImJ, BALB/cJ, C3H/HeJ, CBA/J, FVB/NJ, NON/ShiLtJ, NZO (NZO/HlLtJ) and SWR/J strains) and 5 (CAST/EiJ) confer macrophage susceptibility to LT. In susceptible strains, infection by Bacillus anthracis leads to IL1B release, neutrophil recruitment and macrophage pyroptosis. This early inflammatory response confers increased resistance to infection (PubMed:16429160)