Herein we extend these reports by demonstrating increased plasma levels of IL-27 in 140 patients with carotid atherosclerosis, and increased mRNA levels of IL-27 subunits and IL-27RA, as well as increased expression of IL-1β and NLRP3 within the carotid lesion from 159 patients. Here, NLRP3 is linked to carotid atherosclerosis.