The accumulation of cholesterol crystals, mainly due to the imbalance between esterified and free cholesterol, promotes the activation of the innate immune signaling complex nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor pyrine domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome [79], the key mediator of interleukin (IL)-1 family cytokine production in atherosclerosis. This evidence concerns the gene NLRP3 and atherosclerosis.