Fragmented mitochondrial morphology and disruption of membrane integrity with broken or absent cristae were aggravated in PVL-treated NLRP3-WT mice, although NLRP3 deficiency partly rescued this mitochondrial damage, suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis could also act as negative feedback regulators of mitochondrial morphology and status. This evidence concerns the gene NLRP3 and periventricular leukomalacia.