Research Article

Immunolocalization of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Normal Murine Airway Epithelium and Changes following Induction of Ovalbumin-Induced Airway Inflammation

Table 1

Ovalbumin-induced changes at mRNA level in mouse lung.

Gene product*RelevanceRatio** OVA/SAL value***

Ccl12Chemokine of CC family which attracts eosinophils and monocytes10.640.008
Ccl7Chemokine of CC family which attracts monocytes and regulates macrophage function8.980.018
NAIP 1 (neuronal apoptosis inhibitor protein)Endogenous caspase inhibitor which binds to the inflammasome in neuronal and nonneuronal cell types8.570.000
Cxcl3CXC chemokine which controls migration and adhesion of monocytes8.310.016
IL-6Th2 cytokine which promotes airway inflammation in mice3.080.050
IL-33IL-1 like cytokine which mediates eosinophilia in mouse asthma model2.540.001
ASCAdaptor protein which recruits caspase-1 to the NLRP3 complex2.110.001
Caspase 1When activated, it processes pro-IL1b and pro-IL18 to mature cytokines2.070.000
Aim2 (absent in melanoma gene 2)Component of the AIM2 Inflammasome which activates caspase-1 independent of NLR proteins2.000.002
NLRP1aComponent of the NLRP1 Inflammasome which activates caspases 1 and 51.070.658
NLRC4 (IPAF)Component of the NLRP4 Inflammasome which mediates response to S. typhimurium 0.900.434
IL-1βMember of IL-1 family of cytokines0.480.003
NLRP3Component of the NLRP3 Inflammasome which activates caspases 10.280.000
IL-18Member of IL-1 family of cytokines0.090.000

* Data from a superarray experiment on lung RNA from 8 SAL and 8 OVA-treated mice. Genes relevant to the asthma/inflammasome pathways are shown. **Fold up- or downregulation for OVA-treated mice relative to saline-treated mice was determined by the Ct method. Ratios are in decreasing order; ratios >1 represent increased expression with airway inflammation and ratios <1 represent decreased expression with airway inflammation. Upregulation of Caspase-1 and downregulation of IL-1β were also confirmed by an “in-house” RT-PCR assay. ***Student -test.