IL18 and systemic lupus erythematosus: However, previous studies had shown that the 489c > T polymorphism of the P2RX7 gene is associated with the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and an increased release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18; this indirectly reflects that the NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE complicated with pericarditis (119).