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

Figure 3

Expression of ASC, NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, and IL-1β protein after GCI and suppression by E2. (a) Representative confocal images show that ASC, NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, and IL-1β are activated in hippocampal CA1 region of the young adult female rat at day 7 after GCI. This expression is robustly suppressed by E2, as seen in the lower panel by reduced staining (magnification = 40x, scale bar = 50 μm). (b) Quantification of fluorescence intensity using MATLAB software shows a statistically significant suppression of all of these proteins at day 7 after GCI ( sham versus GCI; GCI versus GCI + E2) ( animals per group).

(a)

(b)