NLRP3 and atherosclerosis: NLRP3 inflammasome activation could cause the overexpression of inflammatory factors involved in atherosclerosis progression (8, 29), the polarization of macrophages into M1 type that fosters tissue destruction and secretion of pro-inflammatory factors (30, 31), and the increasing expression of GSDMD resulting in pyroptosis to enhance vascular permeability and membrane damage (32–34).