NALP2 belongs to a family of cytoplasmic proteins that have been implicated in cell responses to apoptotic and inflammatory stimuli. Unlike the prototypical NALP protein NALP1, NALP2 only contains a NACHT domain, leucine rich repeat (LRR), and pyrin-containing domain (PYD). This protein interacts with the adapter protein ASC in addition to CARD8 and caspase-1 to form an inflammasome with high proIL-1beta-processing activity and is thought to function as a modulator of NF-kappaB and procaspase-1 activation in macrophages. It has also been suggested that NALP2, in addition to other NALP family members, can act as innate sensors of pathogens in a manner similar to the toll-like receptors (TLRs). At least two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been found for NALP2.