Identification of two major QTLs for pod shell thickness in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) using BSA-seq analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pod shell thickness (PST) is an important agronomic trait of peanut because it affects the ability of shells to resist pest infestations and pathogen attacks, while also influencing the peanut shelling process. However, very few studies have explored the genetic basis of PST. RESULTS: An F2 segregating population derived from a cross between the thick-shelled cultivar Yueyou 18 (YY18) and the thin-shelled cultivar Weihua 8 (WH8) was used to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for PST. On the basis of a bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq), four QTLs were preliminarily mapped to chromosomes 3, 8, 13, and 18. Using the genome resequencing data of YY18 and WH8, 22 kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were designed for the genotyping of the F2 population. Two major QTLs (qPSTA08 and qPSTA18) were identified and finely mapped, with qPSTA08 detected on chromosome 8 (0.69-Mb physical genomic region) and qPSTA18 detected on chromosome 18 (0.15-Mb physical genomic region). Moreover, qPSTA08 and qPSTA18 explained 31.1-32.3% and 16.7-16.8% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Fifteen genes were detected in the two candidate regions, including three genes with nonsynonymous mutations in the exon region. Two molecular markers (Tif2_A08_31713024 and Tif2_A18_7198124) that were developed for the two major QTL regions effectively distinguished between thick-shelled and thin-shelled materials. Subsequently, the two markers were validated in four F2:3 lines selected. CONCLUSIONS: The QTLs identified and molecular markers developed in this study may lay the foundation for breeding cultivars with a shell thickness suitable for mechanized peanut shelling.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Cerebellar Cortical Dysplasia: Case Report.

This was a study of 12 cerebellar cortical dysplasias (CCDs) fetuses, these cases were characterized by a disorder of cerebellar fissures. Historically, CCD diagnosis was primarily performed using postnatal imaging. Unique to this study was the case series of CCD for prenatal diagnosis using prenatal ultrasound, as well as we found that AXIN1 and FOXC1 mutations may be related to CCD.

Isolation and genome-wide analysis of the novel Acinetobacter baumannii bacteriophage vB_AbaM_AB3P2.

A lytic Acinetobacter baumannii phage, isolate vB_AbaM_AB3P2, was isolated from a sewage treatment plant in China. A. baumannii phage vB_AbaM_AB3P2 has a dsDNA genome that is 44,824 bp in length with a G + C content of 37.75%. Ninety-six open reading frames were identified, and no genes for antibiotic resistance or virulence factors were found. Genomic and phylogenetic analysis of this phage revealed that it represents a new species in the genus Obolenskvirus. Phage vB_AbaM_AB3P2 has a short latent period (10 min) and high stability at 30-70°C and pH 2-10 and is potentially useful for controlling multi-drug-resistant A. baumannii.

Spike structure of gold nanobranches induces hepatotoxicity in mouse hepatocyte organoid models.

BACKGROUND: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been extensively recognized as an active candidate for a large variety of biomedical applications. However, the clinical conversion of specific types of GNPs has been hindered due to their potential liver toxicity. The origin of their hepatotoxicity and the underlying key factors are still ambiguous. Because the size, shape, and surfactant of GNPs all affect their properties and cytotoxicity. An effective and sensitive platform that can provide deep insights into the cause of GNPs' hepatotoxicity in vitro is therefore highly desired. METHODS: Here, hepatocyte organoid models (Hep-orgs) were constructed to evaluate the shape-dependent hepatotoxicity of GNPs. Two types of GNPs with different nanomorphology, gold nanospheres (GNSs) and spiny gold nanobranches (GNBs), were synthesized as the representative samples. Their shape-dependent effects on mice Hep-orgs' morphology, cellular cytoskeletal structure, mitochondrial structure, oxidative stress, and metabolism were carefully investigated. RESULTS: The results showed that GNBs with higher spikiness and tip curvature exhibited more significant cytotoxicity compared to the rounded GNSs. The spike structure of GNBs leads to a mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and metabolic disorder in Hep-orgs. Meanwhile, similar trends can be observed in HepG2 cells and mice models, demonstrating the reliability of the Hep-orgs. CONCLUSIONS: Hep-orgs can serve as an effective platform for exploring the interactions between GNPs and liver cells in a 3D perspective, filling the gap between 2D cell models and animal models. This work further revealed that organoids can be used as an indispensable tool to rapidly screen and explore the toxic mechanism of nanomaterials before considering their biomedical functionalities.

Automatic segmentation of 15 critical anatomical labels and measurements of cardiac axis and cardiothoracic ratio in fetal four chambers using nnU-NetV2.

BACKGROUND: Accurate segmentation of critical anatomical structures in fetal four-chamber view images is essential for the early detection of congenital heart defects. Current prenatal screening methods rely on manual measurements, which are time-consuming and prone to inter-observer variability. This study develops an AI-based model using the state-of-the-art nnU-NetV2 architecture for automatic segmentation and measurement of key anatomical structures in fetal four-chamber view images. METHODS: A dataset, consisting of 1,083 high-quality fetal four-chamber view images, was annotated with 15 critical anatomical labels and divided into training/validation (867 images) and test (216 images) sets. An AI-based model using the nnU-NetV2 architecture was trained on the annotated images and evaluated using the mean Dice coefficient (mDice) and mean intersection over union (mIoU) metrics. The model's performance in automatically computing the cardiac axis (CAx) and cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) was compared with measurements from sonographers with varying levels of experience. RESULTS: The AI-based model achieved a mDice coefficient of 87.11% and an mIoU of 77.68% for the segmentation of critical anatomical structures. The model's automated CAx and CTR measurements showed strong agreement with those of experienced sonographers, with respective intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of 0.83 and 0.81. Bland-Altman analysis further confirmed the high agreement between the model and experienced sonographers. CONCLUSION: We developed an AI-based model using the nnU-NetV2 architecture for accurate segmentation and automated measurement of critical anatomical structures in fetal four-chamber view images. Our model demonstrated high segmentation accuracy and strong agreement with experienced sonographers in computing clinically relevant parameters. This approach has the potential to improve the efficiency and reliability of prenatal cardiac screening, ultimately contributing to the early detection of congenital heart defects.

Preparation and characterization of bovine serum albumin/chitosan composite nanoparticles for delivery of Antarctic krill peptide.

BACKGROUND: Antarctic krill peptide (AKP) has gained considerable interest because of its multiple biological functions. However, its application may be limited by its poor stability and susceptibility to degradation. Encapsulation of AKP using a nanoparticle delivery system is an effective way to overcome these problems. In the present study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chitosan (CS) were used as delivery vehicles to encapsulate AKP. RESULTS: The results revealed that the particle size (83.3 ± 4.4-222.4 ± 32.7 nm) and zeta-potential (35.1 ± 0.7-45.0 ± 2.7 mV) of nanoparticles (NPs) increased with the increasing content of BSA, but the polydispersity index decreased (1.000 ± 0.002 to 0.306 ± 0.011). Hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions were the main forces to form BSA/CS-AKP NPs. X-ray diffraction revealed that AKP was encapsulated by BSA/CS. Scanning electron microscopy images exhibited that the NPs were spherical in shape, uniform in size and tightly bound. BSA/CS-AKP NPs exhibited excellent stability in the pH range (2-5) and after 15 days of storage, and could hinder the release of AKP in simulated gastric environment and promote the release of AKP in simulated intestinal environment. After simulated digestion, the hypoglycemic activity of encapsulated AKP was better than that of unencapsulated AKP. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the BSA/CS showed great potential for protecting and delivering AKP. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Porous hybrid encapsulation enables high-rate lithium storage for a micron-sized SiO anode.

Establishing a durable interfacial layer between an electrode and electrolyte to enable micron-sized silicon-based lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes to achieve superior electrochemical performance is highly desired. Recent studies have shown that heterogeneous encapsulation with enhanced ion/electron transport is an effective strategy. However, the structural design of the existing hetero-coated interface lacks a reasonable ion/electron transport channel, resulting in high interfacial impedance. Herein, we designed a heterogenous MXene-mesoporous polypyrrole (mPPy) encapsulation layer onto micron-sized SiO particles. The MXene coating layer functions as a bridging interface that can build a strong chemical link to internal SiO via covalent bonding, thus reinforcing interfacial charge transfer rate. Meanwhile, it forms a dynamic connection with the outer mPPy through hydrogen bonding, which contributes to high interfacial Li+ concentration and ion/electron coupling transport rate. Accordingly, the as-prepared SiO@MXene@mPPy anode delivers a boosted specific capacity of 673.9 mA h g-1 at 2 A g-1 after 1000 cycles and high-rate capability of 777.4 mA h g-1 at 5 A g-1. Further, electrochemical kinetic analysis indicates that the MXene@mPPy coating layer shows a pseudocapacitance controlled Li storage mechanism, thereby displaying improved high-rate capability. This porous hybrid encapsulation strategy offers new possibilities for a micron-sized SiO anode to achieve an excellent performance.

High-Rate SiO Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Enabled by Rationally Interfacial Hybrid Encapsulation Engineering.

The development of a high-rate SiO lithium-ion battery anode is seriously limited by its low intrinsic conductivity, sluggish interfacial charge transfer (ICT), and unstable dynamic interface. To tackle the above issues, interfacial encapsulation engineering for effectively regulating the interfacial reaction and thus realizing a stable solid electrolyte interphase is significantly important. Hybrid coating, which aims to enhance the coupled e-/Li+ transport via the employment of dual layers, has emerged as a promising strategy. Herein, we construct a hybrid MXene-graphene oxide (GO) coating layer on the SiO microparticles. In the design, Ti3C2Tx MXene acts as a "bridge", which forms a close covalent connection with SiO and GO through Ti-O-Si and Ti-O-C bonds, respectively, thus greatly reducing the ICT resistance. Moreover, the Ti3C2Tx with rich surface groups (e.g., -OH, -F) and GO outer layers with an intertwined porous framework synergistically enable the pseudocapacitance dominated behavior, which is beneficial for fast lithium-ion storage. Accordingly, the as-made Si@MXene@GO anode exhibits considerably reinforced lithium-ion storage performance in terms of superior rate performance (1175.9 mA h g-1 at 5 A g-1) and long cycling stability (1087.6 mA h g-1 capacity retained after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g-1). In-depth interfacial chemical composition analysis further reveals that an inorganically rich interphase with a gradient distribution of LiF and Li2O formed at the electrolyte/anode interface ensures mechanical stability during repeated cycles. This work paves a feasible way for maximizing the potential of SiO anodes toward fast-charging lithium-ion batteries.

Association between Weight-Adjusted Waist Index and depressive symptoms: A nationally representative cross-sectional study from NHANES 2005 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are strongly associated with the development of various diseases and are one of the leading causes of disability in the world. However, the relationship between weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and depressive symptoms has not been studied. This study aimed to assess the relationship between depressive symptoms and WWI. METHODS: This study took NHANES data from 2005 to 2018 with 32,374 participants. Depressive symptoms were measured by a questionnaire (PHQ-9).WWI was determined by dividing the square root of waist circumference (cm) by weight (kg). Multivariate logistic regression models, smoothed curve fitting, and weighted generalized additive model (GAM) regression were used to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and WWI, BMI, and waist circumference. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were also performed. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, the OR (95 % CI) for WWI and depressive symptoms with WWI, BMI, and waist circumference were 1.18 (1.05, 1.34), BMI 1.01 (1.00, 1.02, 1.01 (1.00, 1.01), respectively. Participants in the highest quartile (Q4) had a 49 % higher depressive symptoms compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (OR = 1.49, 95 % CI:1.14-1.96). Subgroup analyses and interaction tests showed a stable relationship between depressive symptoms and WWI. LIMITATIONS: It is difficult to determine a causal relationship between the two; questionnaire collection may be somewhat biased; CONCLUSIONS: WWI was positively associated with depressive symptoms. This association was stronger than BMI and waist circumference. However, this relationship was stable. This study emphasizes the potential utility of WWI in preventing depressive symptoms and improving prognosis in the population.

Multifunctional chemical anchors achieve a boosted fill factor and mitigate ion migration of high-stability perovskite solar cells.

To date, it is urgent to produce perovskite films with comparative or even better morphologies in an open-air environment. Unfortunately, a substantial number of trap states on the grain surface, especially the grain boundaries (GBs) of a perovskite layer, can bring about significant deterioration in the performance of PSCs. Trap-induced carrier recombination directly exerts a detrimental influence on the carrier collection efficiency and electronic properties of a perovskite active film. Herein, 4(5)-iodoimidazole (4II), a small organic molecule agent, was introduced to passivate the surface and bulk traps of the active film, which resulted in a controlled morphology, improved carrier extraction and suppressed ion migration for the devices fabricated in a relatively humid and O2-containing environment. Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements were applied to study trap passivation and suppression of ion migration across the GBs of perovskite films. The results manifest that the -CN group preferably bonds with the less-coordinated Pb2+ and the -NH- group favorably forms hydrogen bonds with the uncoordinated I-. As a result, the champion device delivered a significantly boosted power conversion efficiency from 17.22% to 20.95%, with an improved fill factor (FF) from 70.54% to 80.40%, and improved ambient stability of the unencapsulated device. This study may probe research insight into the design of passivators with synergistic effects for morphology control and reduction of carrier recombination loss for equally efficient perovskite photovoltaics fabricated in ambient air.

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of complete cryptophthalmos, congenital aphakia, and corneal vascularization in a fetus: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Complete cryptophthalmos, congenital aphakia, and corneal vascularization are relatively uncommon congenital eye malformations during the fetal period. Herein, we report a case of a fetus with complete cryptophthalmos, congenital aphakia, and corneal vascularization in both eyes and review previous prenatal reports of related cases. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 27-year-old pregnant woman, gravida 2, para 1, who was referred to our hospital for consultation at 23 weeks of gestation due to a diagnosis of fetal right renal agenesis at an external hospital. The ultrasound system of our hospital diagnosed the fetus with complete cryptophthalmos, congenital aphakia, and corneal vascularization, which was verified under the postnatal water basin test, anatomical and pathological sections. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal ocular malformations are often associated with malformations of other organs, and if ultrasound findings are associated with such malformations, attention should be paid to the ocular examination to avoid missing the diagnosis.

An Easy and Effective Method for Evaluating the Position of Conus Medullaris: Counting the Number of Vertebral Ossification Center Below the End of Conus Medullaris.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to ascertain the conus medullaris position by counting the number of ossification centers in the vertebral bodies below the conus medullaris endpoint (N) and assess its utility in screening for closed spinal dysraphism and tethered cord syndrome. METHODS: A total of 900 normal fetuses and 146 fetuses with closed spinal dysraphism or tethered cord syndrome were included in this study. The N values were tallied and compared along the spinal longitudinal plane. The receiver operating characteristic curve was utilized, and the cut-off value of N was analyzed. RESULTS: The counting of N was successfully performed in 856 normal and 146 abnormal fetuses. In the normal group, an increase in N with gestational age was observed. Specifically, in the subgroup of 17-20 wk fetuses, N was ≥6 in 117 out of 131 cases. This figure increased to 211 out of 213 in 21-24 wk and 512 out of 512 in 25-41 wk, respectively. Cases with N ≥7 accounted for 715 out of 856 fetuses in the 17-41 wk range. In the abnormal group, N was less than 7 in 152 out of 163 fetuses, showing statistical differences between the two groups. With a cut-off value of 6.5, specificity and sensitivity reached 93.3% and 83.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The counting of N was found to be a straightforward and efficient method for evaluating the position of the conus medullaris.

ILC2s: Unraveling the innate immune orchestrators in allergic inflammation.

The prevalence rate of allergic diseases including asthma, atopic rhinitis (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AD) has been significantly increasing in recent decades due to environmental changes and social developments. With the study of innate lymphoid cells, the crucial role played by type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have been progressively unveiled in allergic diseases. ILC2s, which are a subset of innate lymphocytes initiate allergic responses. They respond swiftly during the onset of allergic reactions and produce type 2 cytokines, working in conjunction with T helper type 2 (Th2) cells to induce and sustain type 2 immune responses. The role of ILC2s represents an intriguing frontier in immunology; however, the intricate immune mechanisms of ILC2s in allergic responses remain relatively poorly understood. To gain a comphrehensive understanding of the research progress of ILC2, we summarize recent advances in ILC2s biology in pathologic allergic inflammation to inspire novel approaches for managing allergic diseases.

Introducing and Validating the Cranial-Dorsal-Hip Angle (∠CDH): A Method for Accurate Fetal Position Assessment in the First Trimester and Future AI Applications.

Purpose To introduce the cranial-dorsal-hip angle (∠CDH) as a novel quantitative tool for assessing fetal position in the first trimester and to validate its feasibility for future AI applications. Materials and Methods 2520 first-trimester fetal NT exams with 2582 CRL images (January-August 2022) were analyzed at a tertiary hospital as the pilot group. Additionally, 1418 cases with 1450 fetal CRL images (September-December 2022) were examined for validation. Three expert sonographers defined a standard for fetal positions. ∠CDH measurements, conducted by two ultrasound technicians, were validated for consistency using Bland-Altman plots and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). This method allowed for categorizing fetal positions as hyperflexion, neutral, and hyperextension based on ∠CDH. Comparative accuracy was assessed against Ioannou, Wanyonyi, and Roux methods using the weighted Kappa coefficient (k value). Results The pilot group comprised 2186 fetal CRL images, and the validation group included 1193 images. Measurement consistency was high (ICCs of 0.993; P<0.001). The established 95% reference range for ∠CDH in the neutral fetal position was 118.3° to 137.8°. The ∠CDH method demonstrated superior accuracy over the Ioannou, Wanyonyi, and Roux methods in both groups, with accuracy rates of 94.5% (k values: 0.874, 95%CI: 0.852-0.896) in the pilot group, and 92.6% (k values: 0.838, 95%CI: 0.806-0.871) in the validation group. Conclusion The ∠CDH method has been validated as a highly reproducible and accurate technique for first-trimester fetal position assessment. This sets the stage for its potential future integration into intelligent assessment models.

Organoid-Based Assessment of Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) Nanomedicines for Ex Vivo Cancer Therapy.

Nanomaterials have been extensively exploited in tumor treatment, leading to numerous innovative strategies for cancer therapy. While nanomedicines present immense potential, their application in cancer therapy is characterized by significant complexity and unpredictability, especially regarding biocompatibility and anticancer efficiency. These considerations underscore the essential need for the development of ex vivo research models, which provide invaluable insights and understanding into the biosafety and efficacy of nanomedicines in oncology. Fortunately, the emergence of organoid technology offers a novel approach to the preclinical evaluation of the anticancer efficacy of nanomedicines in vitro. Hence, in this study, we constructed intestine and hepatocyte organoid models (Intestine-orgs and Hep-orgs) for assessing intestinal and hepatic toxicity at the microtissue level. We utilized three typical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), ZIF-8, ZIF-67, and MIL-125, as nanomedicines to further detect their interactions with organoids. Subsequently, the MIL-125 with biocompatibility loaded methotrexate (MTX), forming the nanomedicine (MIL-125-PEG-MTX), indicated a high loading efficiency (82%) and a well-release capability in an acid microenvironment. More importantly, the anticancer effect of the nanomedicine was investigated using an in vitro patient-derived organoids (PDOs) model, achieving inhibition rates of 48% and 78% for PDO-1 and PDO-2, respectively, demonstrating that PDOs could predict clinical response and facilitate prospective therapeutic selection. These achievements presented great potential for organoid-based ex vivo models for nano theragnostic evaluation in biosafety and function.

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Embryogenic Callus Induction Rate in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

The capability of embryogenic callus induction is a prerequisite for in vitro plant regeneration. However, embryogenic callus induction is strongly genotype-dependent, thus hindering the development of in vitro plant genetic engineering technology. In this study, to examine the genetic variation in embryogenic callus induction rate (CIR) in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) at the seventh, eighth, and ninth subcultures (T7, T8, and T9, respectively), we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for CIR in a population of 353 peanut accessions. The coefficient of variation of CIR among the genotypes was high in the T7, T8, and T9 subcultures (33.06%, 34.18%, and 35.54%, respectively), and the average CIR ranged from 1.58 to 1.66. A total of 53 significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected (based on the threshold value -log10(p) = 4.5). Among these SNPs, SNPB03-83801701 showed high phenotypic variance and neared a gene that encodes a peroxisomal ABC transporter 1. SNPA05-94095749, representing a nonsynonymous mutation, was located in the Arahy.MIX90M locus (encoding an auxin response factor 19 protein) at T8, which was associated with callus formation. These results provide guidance for future elucidation of the regulatory mechanism of embryogenic callus induction in peanut.

Shank3 deficiency elicits autistic-like behaviors by activating p38α in hypothalamic AgRP neurons.

BACKGROUND: SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains protein 3 (SHANK3) monogenic mutations or deficiency leads to excessive stereotypic behavior and impaired sociability, which frequently occur in autism cases. To date, the underlying mechanisms by which Shank3 mutation or deletion causes autism and the part of the brain in which Shank3 mutation leads to the autistic phenotypes are understudied. The hypothalamus is associated with stereotypic behavior and sociability. p38α, a mediator of inflammatory responses in the brain, has been postulated as a potential gene for certain cases of autism occurrence. However, it is unclear whether hypothalamus and p38α are involved in the development of autism caused by Shank3 mutations or deficiency. METHODS: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and immunoblotting were used to assess alternated signaling pathways in the hypothalamus of Shank3 knockout (Shank3-/-) mice. Home-Cage real-time monitoring test was performed to record stereotypic behavior and three-chamber test was used to monitor the sociability of mice. Adeno-associated viruses 9 (AAV9) were used to express p38α in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) or agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons. D176A and F327S mutations expressed constitutively active p38α. T180A and Y182F mutations expressed inactive p38α. RESULTS: We found that Shank3 controls stereotypic behavior and sociability by regulating p38α activity in AgRP neurons. Phosphorylated p38 level in hypothalamus is significantly enhanced in Shank3-/- mice. Consistently, overexpression of p38α in ARC or AgRP neurons elicits excessive stereotypic behavior and impairs sociability in wild-type (WT) mice. Notably, activated p38α in AgRP neurons increases stereotypic behavior and impairs sociability. Conversely, inactivated p38α in AgRP neurons significantly ameliorates autistic behaviors of Shank3-/- mice. In contrast, activated p38α in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons does not affect stereotypic behavior and sociability in mice. LIMITATIONS: We demonstrated that SHANK3 regulates the phosphorylated p38 level in the hypothalamus and inactivated p38α in AgRP neurons significantly ameliorates autistic behaviors of Shank3-/- mice. However, we did not clarify the biochemical mechanism of SHANK3 inhibiting p38α in AgRP neurons. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the Shank3 deficiency caused autistic-like behaviors by activating p38α signaling in AgRP neurons, suggesting that p38α signaling in AgRP neurons is a potential therapeutic target for Shank3 mutant-related autism.

Unraveling the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in allergic inflammation: implications for novel therapies.

Allergic diseases like asthma, allergic rhinitis and dermatitis pose a significant global health burden, driving the search for novel therapies. The NLRP3 inflammasome, a key component of the innate immune system, is implicated in various inflammatory diseases. Upon exposure to allergens, NLRP3 undergoes a two-step activation process (priming and assembly) to form active inflammasomes. These inflammasomes trigger caspase-1 activation, leading to the cleavage of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß and IL-18) and GSDMD. This process induces pyroptosis and amplifies inflammation. Recent studies in humans and mice strongly suggest a link between the NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1ß, and IL-18, and the development of allergic diseases. However, further research is needed to fully understand NLRP3's specific mechanisms in allergies. This review aims to summarize the latest advances in NLRP3 activation and regulation. We will discuss small molecule drugs and natural products targeting NLRP3 as potential therapeutic strategies for allergic diseases.