NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in the Brain after Global Cerebral Ischemia and Regulation by 17β-Estradiol

Figure 2

Increase in NLRP3, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, and cleaved IL-1β protein levels after GCI and its suppression by E2. Representative immunoblots from Western blot analysis of hippocampal samples collected 7 days after GCI show that (a) NLRP3, (b) ASC, (c) cleaved caspase-1, and (d) cleaved IL-1β are robustly increased after GCI as compared to shams and are significantly suppressed by E2 treatment. (e–h) Quantification of immunoblots using ImageJ software showed that NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, and cleaved IL-1β levels are increased 2.5-fold after GCI and ASC is increased 6-fold. This increase in protein levels is significantly suppressed by E2 treatment ( sham versus GCI; GCI versus GCI + E2) (-5 animals per group).

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