The extent of renal damage in diabetic mice was identical to wild-type mice when bone marrow from Nlrp3-/- and Caspase-1-/- mice was transplanted in db/db mice, and induction of the NLRP3 inflammasome originating from intrinsic renal cells worsened diabetic nephropathy (DN). Here, NLRP3 is linked to diabetic kidney disease.