CASP1 and atrophic macular degeneration: [22] Tarallo et al demonstrated increased levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 in human eyes containing geographic atrophy. They also showed that inhibition of components of the NLRP3 inflammasome (NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1), in RPE, prevented RPE degeneration and atrophy induced by DICER1 loss or Alu RNA exposure. The pathway towards geographic atrophy, a key feature of dry AMD, involved MyD88 and IL-18. [23] Since A2E also activates the NLRP3 inflammasome, it will be interesting in the future to determine if A2E also has any direct effects on the processing of Alu RNA.