Abstract
Gastroesophageal reflux impairs the mucosal barrier in the distal esophagus, allowing chronic exposure of the squamous epithelium to multitudinous stimulations and inducing chronic inflammation. Esophagitis is a response to inflammation of the esophageal squamous mucosa. Our study clarified that alcohol accumulation could aggravate the progress of esophagitis by inducing pyroptosis; however, Ac-YVAD-CMK, an inhibitor of caspase-1, could effectively suppress the expression of IL-1β and IL-18 both in vivo and in vitro, reducing the inflammatory response, which is promised to be an agent to inhibit the progression of esophagitis. Additionally, caspase-1-derived pyroptosis is involved in esophageal cancer.