Protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, NLRP3, Cleavage‐Caspase‐1, Cleavage‐IL‐1β, TGF‐β1, p‐Smad2, collagen I, and collagen II were clearly higher in atrial tissues from the SHR‐AF group than in those from the SHR group. The gene discussed is SMAD2; the disease is atrial fibrillation.