MAVS and infection: Additionally, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein, an adaptor protein in RNA sensing pathways, has been shown to be important for NLRP3 inflammasome activation during infections by several different RNA viruses and after stimulation with the synthetic RNA poly I:C.12, 13, 14, 15 The location of the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein in the mitochondrial outer membrane protein substantiates a role for NLRP3 sensing of mitochondrial perturbations.