Caspase-1 activation of human and mouse brain tissue were analyzed by Western blot of cleaved caspase-1. IL-1β was quantified by ELISA. Microglial ASC speck formation was detected by immunohistochemistry. All mice were on C57/Bl6 background, including WT, NLRP3−/−,27 (link), APP/PS15 (link), APP/PS1/NLRP3−/−, Caspase-1−/−,28 (link), APP/PS1/Caspase-1−/− and were analyzed for cognitive function using the Morris Water Maze, the object recognition test and open field behavioural testing. Synaptic plasticity was determined by measuring long term potentiation (LTP) in acutely isolated hippocampal slices. Spine density was assessed by analyzing mid apical dendritic sections of pyramidal CA1 neurons. Cerebral Aβ load was determined by thioflavin-S-histochemistry of serial sections. Sequential extraction of homogenized brains by radio-immunoprecipitation assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate buffer and formic acid was employed to determine Aβ levels. Aβ nitration was determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry using a specific antibodies against 3NTyr10 (link)-Aβ25 (link). Western blot detection was used to analyze the protein levels of APP, CTFs, Aβ, BACE1, IDE and NOS2. Inflammasome activation was confirmed by detection of ASC speck formation in microglia isolated from adult mouse. Microglial Aβ phagocytosis was determined after peripheral injection of methoxy-XO4, isolation of microglia and subsequent FACS analysis. Confirmatory immunocytochemistry was performed using antibody IC16 and the lysosomal marker LAMP2. Plaque morphology and microglial Aβ uptake was analyzed by coimmunostaining with Iba-1, methoxy-XO4 and IC16. mRNA levels of IDE, NEP, M1 and M2 markers were determined either from sorted microglia or from brain tissue by qPCR.