NLRP3 and atherosclerosis: When the LDLR−/− mice were transplanted with NLRP3-deficient, ASC-deficient, or IL-1α/β-deficient bone marrow and fed a high cholesterol diet, they had significantly reduced early atherosclerosis and inflammasome-dependent IL-18 levels (Duewell et al., 2010), suggesting that the deficiency of the NLRP3 inflammasome significantly protected proatherogenic mice from disease.