NLRP3 and neurodegenerative disease: However, excessive or altered regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome activity is related to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative diseases.11,12 The pleiotropic roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome have been reviewed extensively elsewhere in terms of physiological responses and in the context of a variety of human diseases.13–16 In addition, the mechanisms of noncanonical and one-step NLRP3 inflammasome activation are beyond the scope of this review.