血栓闭塞性脉管炎(TAO)是中、小动静脉的一种节段性、闭塞性的慢性炎性疾病,其特点为病变血管的血栓形成和血管闭塞.TAO是一种影响上肢及下肢中、小型动静脉的非动脉粥样硬化的炎性疾病,对血栓闭塞性脉管炎的患者的血管壁及血栓进行研究发现了大量的炎性细胞浸润.NLRP3炎性小体能活化半胱天冬氨酸酶-1,引起白细胞介素(IL)等促炎细胞因子的分泌,参与机体的免疫应答反应,现已发现它在自身免疫性疾病及动脉性疾病中发挥免疫方面的作用.文章就NLRP3炎性小体在血栓闭塞性脉管炎的发病机制中的作用进行进一步介绍.“,”Thromboangiitis obliterans is the segmental occlusive inflammatory condition of arteries and veins , charac-terized by thrombosis and recanalization of the affected vessels .It is a non-atherosclerotic inflammatory disease affecting small and medium sized arteries and veins of upper and lower extremities .A large number of inflammatory cells infiltrations are found in the blood vessel wall and thrombus in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans .NLRP3 inflammasome activates caspase 1, induced by interleukin ( IL) secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and take part in immune response , and it has been found in autoimmune diseases and arterial diseases .In this paper , the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of Thromboangiitis obliterans will be further described .