NLRP3 and lobular neoplasia: Li et al. (2018) demonstrated that weekly gavage of MRL/lpr female mice suffering from LN with 100 mg/kg sophocarpine reduced the level of NLRP3 protein, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β in renal tissue, possibly through inhibition of the NF-κB activator IKKs. Treatment reduced serum and renal IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. It also diminished proteinuria, reduced immune complex deposition in kidney, and significantly improved kidney function (Li et al., 2018a).