Meanwhile, the inhibition of P2X7R significantly reduced the expression and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, indicating that the initiation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation is dependent on the activation of P2X7R mediated by AGE–BSA–induced diabetic retinopathy (Yang K. et al., 2020). Here, NLRP3 is linked to diabetic retinopathy.