Taking in account the previously reported association between variants in NLRP3 gene and an impaired IL-1 production as well as the role of IL-1 driven inflammation in asbestos lung fibrosis and mesothelioma, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the NLRP3 and NLRP1 polymorphisms in the individual susceptibility to asbestos-induced mesothelioma in a cohort of MM patients from a North-Eastern Italy area hyperendemic for malignant pleural mesothelioma. The gene discussed is NLRP1; the disease is mesothelioma.