NLRP3 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Interestingly, treatment with LPS + ATP, NLRP3 activators, significantly (p < 0.01) increased the levels of IL-1α release from IPF but not from healthy PBMCs (Figure 2A), implying the involvement of NLRP3 in IL-1α release from IPF-derived PBMCs.