NFKB1 and acute kidney injury: In the present study, we identified that SARS-CoV-2 N protein caused AKI by promoting M1 macrophage activation and renal inflammation via a Mincle-dependent mechanism, which added new information to the previous findings that SARS-CoV-2 N protein can activate NLRP3 and NF-κB to induce hyperinflammation (35, 36).