Effects of NIX-mediated mitophagy on ox-LDL-induced macrophage pyroptosis in atherosclerosis.

Pyroptosis is a form of cell death that is uniquely dependent on caspase-1. Pyroptosis involved in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced human macrophage death through the promotion of caspase-1 activation is important for the formation of unstable plaques in atherosclerosis. The mitochondrial outer membrane protein NIX directly interacts with microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3).