NLRP3 and renal fibrosis: Furthermore, it has been found that inhibiting the activity of NLRP3 or inhibiting the activation of Caspase-1 can significantly suppress the overexpression of ECM proteins such as fibronectin and collagen induced by TGF-β1 in the kidney tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and in high-glucose-induced mouse mesangial cells, thereby protecting against renal fibrosis (50).