NLRP3 and Alzheimer disease: However, the equivalent levels of Aβ and NLRP3 activation in APPPS1 mice and in a microglia-specific model (APPPS1-Cx3cr1-hA7ko) both in vivo and in vitro indicate that not only microglia but also astrocytes may be involved in the activation and maintenance of the inflammatory response in our AD mouse model.