NLRP3 and pulmonary fibrosis: (76) found in 2022 that PM2.5 particles could induce the production of TNF-α and IL-1β in human macrophages and transforming growth factor (TGF) in vitro, and could also induce the production of TGF-β1 and IL-1β by activating NLRP3 inflammasome, which could promote pulmonary fibrosis.