Although the NLRP3 inflammasome is an important mechanism in IR-AKI, and candidates for blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation such as hydroxychloroquine are being developed for IR-AKI [9], no studies have examined whether EPO can inhibit activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in IR-AKI. Here, NLRP3 is linked to acute kidney injury.