Mice lacking NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes, e.g., NLRP3, ASC, and IL-1β, had markedly decreased atherosclerosis compared to wild-type mice in response to a high-cholesterol diet, indicating the important roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome in atherosclerosis (16). This evidence concerns the gene NLRP3 and atherosclerosis.