NLRP3 and COVID-19: and is associated with COVID-19 severity in patients;34, 35, 36, 37 (2) NLRP3 inflammasome activation is associated with the COVID-19 related cytokine storm37, 38 and is activated by the SARS-CoV-2 N protein;39 (3) age-induced NLRP3 inflammasome over-stimulation increases lethality of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in elderly patients;40 and (4) SARS-CoV-2 infection in blood monocytes leads to activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and contributes to the formation of COVID-19 related cytokine storm.41