NLRP3 and major depressive disorder: Inflammation is believed to play a role in both bipolar illness and unipolar depression. Markers of inflammation are elevated during acute mood episodes. Specifically, gene expressions of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-related proteins in peripheral blood have been purported to be upregulated in patients with bipolar disorder. We examined the elaboration of NLRP3 in the ouabain animal model of bipolar disorder.