Two recent back-to-back papers published in Nature provide new insights into the structural basis of gasdermin B (GSDMB) targeting by the secreted Shigella virulence effector IpaH7.8, the regulation of GSDMB ’ s pore-forming pyroptotic activity by alternative splicing, and into the inter-species differences regarding IpaH7.8-mediated inhibition of gasdermin D (GSDMD) activity. Interesting new research ideas beyond bacteriology could develop from these fi ndings on the different properties of isoforms of GSDMB. Oncology appears to be a particularly interesting field here, as immunogenic cell death — such as pyroptosis — has recently received signi fi cant attention in the context of cancer. 5 The relevance of RCD in this fi eld is also illustrated, for example, by the fact that the screening of cancer cell lines played a critical role in the identi fi cation of glutathione peroxidase 4 as the key regulator of ferroptosis, a mode of RCD characterized by oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation
