Activation of the coagulation cascade is a critical, evolutionarily conserved mechanism that maintains haemostasis by rapidly forming blood clots in response to blood-borne infections and damaged blood vessels. Coagulation is a key component of innate immunity since it prevents bacterial dissemination and can provoke inflammation. The term immunothrombosis describes the process by which the innate immune response drives aberrant coagulation, which can result in a lethal condition termed disseminated intravascular coagulation, often seen in sepsis. In this review, we describe the recently uncovered molecular mechanisms underlying inflammasome- and STING-driven immunothrombosis induced by bacterial and viral infections, culminating in tissue factor (TF) activation and release. Current anticoagulant therapeutics, while effective, are associated with a life-threatening bleeding risk, requiring the urgent development of new treatments. Targeting immunothrombosis may provide a safer option. Thus, we highlight pre-clinical tools which target TF and/or block canonical (NLRP3) or non-canonical (caspase-11) inflammasome activation as well as STING-driven TF release and discuss clinically approved drugs which block key immunothrombotic processes and therefore may be redeployed as safer anticoagulants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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