Exposing monocytes from healthy volunteers concomitantly to oxLDL stimulation or plasma from OSA patients with early subclinical atherosclerosis, followed by 16 h of IH, significantly increases NLRP3 activation and IL-1β production, compared to IH exposure alone, suggesting a synergistic act of oxLDL and IH [82]. Here, NLRP3 is linked to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.