IL-1β blockade prevents cell death and mucosal damage of the small intestine in a model of sterile inflammation

•Intragastric administration of a single dose of gliadin peptide p31–43 causes mucosal damage and cell death in the proximal small intestine.•Inhibition of NLRP3 and caspase-1 prevents the mucosal damage in the small intestine induced by p31–43.•Treatment with neutralizing anti-IL-1β antibody does not affect activation of the inflammasome.•Blockade of IL-1β prevents cell death and caspase-3 activation in the enteropathy caused by p31–43.•IL-1β has a critical role in the cell death process in the small intestine in a model of sterile inflammation.