Vitamin D₃ Protects against Diabetic Retinopathy by Inhibiting High-Glucose-Induced Activation of the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway

Figure 1

Vitamin D₃ inhibits the high-glucose-induced death of HRMECs by inhibiting expression of proteins in the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. (a) Western blot analysis of proteins in the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the NG, NG + VD, HG, HG + VD, and NG + NLRP3-overexpressing and HG + NLRP3-knockdown groups. (b) Quantitative analysis of the bands. (c) Transfection of HRMECs with plasmid DNA (CTR: control group; scramble: scrambled shRNA control group; vector: empty vector control group). (d) Co-staining of Hoechst33238 and propidium iodide was performed to assess apoptosis of HRMECs. (e) Quantification of apoptotic cells. The results are expressed as the mean percentage of apoptotic cells ± SD. (: NG versus HG, ; ##: HG versus HG + VD, ; : NG + NLRP3 Op versus NG, ; #: HG + NLRP3 KD versus HG, ).

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