AIM2 and triple-A syndrome: Based on our previous studies, where we had detected increased AIM2 inflammasome levels in AAA-tissue and in PBMC from AAA patients18,21,22, as well as an induction of AIM2 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells in response to cell debris20, we assumed that cell-free dsDNA might be able to induce an AIM2 inflammasome response in inflammatory cells.