Supernatants from packed red blood cells modulate inflammasome activation

Background and aim: Packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion has been reported to modulate recipient immune responses however the mechanisms remain largely unknown. Inflammasomes are innate immune multiproteins that play an important role in driving and regulating inflammation through activation of caspases and pyroptosis. We investigated whether transfusion modulated inflammasome activation in vitro.