NLRP3 and viral infectious disease: As another example of an immune response connecting different cell death pathways, RNA viruses induce NLRP3 activation and the subsequent release of IL-1β in a RIPK1/RIPK3-dependent and MLKL-independent manner.293 Viral infection triggers RIPK1/RIPK3-mediated phosphorylation of DRP1, resulting in mitochondrial damage and NLRP3 activation, presumably through the release of mitochondrial ROS.