The early phase of HMGB1 release at 6 h post-infection, which is cell death-independent but MLKL dependent, promotes the late phase of HMGB1 release via the activation of RAGE, initiation of a second wave of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL phosphorylation and occurs with cell necroptosis [129]. Here, MLKL is linked to infection.