Objective:Obesity-induced vascular dysfunction is related to chronic low-grade systemic inflammation.Recent studies indicate that NLRP3, a multiprotein complex formed by NOD-like receptor (NLR) family members, is a key component mediating intemal sterile inflammation, but the role in obesity-related vascular dysfunction is largely unknown.In the present study, we investigate whether NLRP3 activation is involved in vascular inflammation in obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats (OLETF).