In a separate study, alum and crystalline silica, the causal agent for silicosis and lung cancer, were shown to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome by disrupting the lysosome to release cathepsin B, which serves as a sterile DAMP for NLRP3 activation (Hornung et al., 2008). The gene discussed is NLRP3; the disease is lung carcinoma.