NLRP3 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: However, our results both in vivo and in vitro showed that TXNIP deficiency exacerbated NAFL and resulted in NASH formation, and that NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion in KCs were not blocked but were enhanced in the absence of TXNIP, thus suggesting that TXNIP suppresses the expression and function of NLRP3 inflammasome by binding to NLRP3.