NLRP3 and diabetes mellitus: Next, the role of NLRP3 in endothelial cells in the development of diabetes-associated AS was assessed in endothelial cell-specific NLRP3 mutant, ApoE (-/-) mice (APOEKO/Tie2p-Cre/NLRP3MKO), compared to control ApoE (-/-) mice (APOEKO), supplied with either high-fat diet (HFD), or normal diet (ND).