IL1B and atherosclerosis: Finally, given the recognized proinflammatory role of cholesterol crystals during atherosclerosis via nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing protein 3 (NLRP3) sensing and assembly (30) we analyzed the effect of biflavonoids on cholesterol crystal-induced IL-1β secretion using low-dose LPS-primed macrophages, as reported previously (23).