IL18 and chronic kidney disease: Our results showed a significant increase in the levels of ASC, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 proteins and mRNA in the colon of CKD rats and the LPS + ATP-induced injury model of colonic epithelial cells, suggesting that the activation of the NLRP3-ASC-caspase-1 inflammasome pathway is associated with impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function and renal tubular damage.