fig6

Figure 6. Schematic overview of the crossroads of atherosclerosis, inflammation, pyroptosis, and immunity. Atherosclerosis is the central pathology, where inflammation, pyroptosis, and immunity form a mutually reinforcing network that drives plaque instability and cardiovascular events. The figure created with BioRender.com. NF-κB: Nuclear factor kappa-B; IL-1β: interleukin-1 beta; IL-18: interleukin-18; Th17: T helper type 17 cell; Breg: regulatory B cell; B1: innate-like B cell; B2: conventional B cell; GSDMD: gasdermin D; NLRP3: NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3; NK: natural killer; DC: dendritic cells.