NLRP3 and Parkinson disease: Recently, NLRP3 upregulation in microglia was shown to induce strong upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, transcription factors, and critical members of the inflammasome pathway, and that the inflammasome contributes to DA cell loss in the toxin-based MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) PD mouse model [12].