Exacerbated inflammasome activation is found in participants with KAD when compared with PWH and HVs. (A) Plasma levels of IL-18 were compared among participants with KAD (n = 42), PWH (n = 12), and HVs (n = 9). Lines represent median values and interquartile ranges. PBMCs from the same patients and distinct HVs (n = 10) were incubated with the FLICA, stained for monocyte identification and intracellular ASC, and acquired by imaging flow cytometry. (B) gMFI of FLICA within total circulating blood monocytes was assessed. Data are presented as median with interquartile range. (C) Representative images showing respectively CD14, ASC, and FLICA fluorescence followed by a composite image containing brightfield (BF), and the fluorescence of ASC and FLICA merged, were randomly selected from representative samples of the distinct KAD conditions. In these CD14⁺ cells, FLICA and ASC fluorescence are superimposed. (D) The number of monocytes showing spontaneous FLICA⁺ ASC-speck formation was quantified after application of Modulation_Morphology (M11,Ch11)_11-ASC feature, followed by Bright Detail Similarity R3_MC_11-ASC_2-FLICA, inside the monocyte gate, by using IDEAS software. Lines represent median values and interquartile ranges. Comparisons were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Dunn multiple test. ∗∗P < .01; ∗∗∗P < .001; ∗∗∗∗P < .0001.