Phagocytosis of the inhaled silica crystals by alveolar macrophages results in lysosomal damage, which elicits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome to mediate the activation of caspase-1 and the subsequent maturation of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β in murine silicosis models. Here, NLRP3 is linked to silicosis.