The research of Koka et al. conducted both in the primary cultures of the mouse carotid arterial endothelial cells as well as in the mouse model of hypercholesterolemia showed that acid sphingomyelinase and ceramidases related to the formation of the membrane raft were necessary for the activation of NRLP3 inflammasomes in the endothelial cells and further increased atherosclerosis associated with hypercholesterolemia (81). The gene discussed is SMPD1; the disease is familial hypercholesterolemia.