NLRP3 and mastitis: Previous studies have shown that mammary epithelial cells have immune activity, which can activate NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome [5] and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways [6] during mastitis, and that can release proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α).