Genetic analyses show that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding sensor molecules (i.e. NLRP1, NLRP3, AIM2) and inflammasome-related proteins (i.e. PYCARD, CASP1) are linked with susceptibility to and/or response to therapy for MS, T1D, RA and SLE (75, 78, 98, 119, 120, 153, 297–303). This evidence concerns the gene NLRP3 and systemic lupus erythematosus.