Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome by Advanced Glycation End Products Promotes Pancreatic Islet Damage

Figure 4

NLRP3 inflammasome activation is involved in AGE-induced mice pancreatic islet damage. WT and NLRP3 KO mice were injected intraperitoneally with 120 mg/kg AGEs or BSA for 6 weeks. (a) Pancreatic sections were stained by insulin (green), IL-1β (red), and DAPI (blue), with representative islets shown (scale bar = 50 μm). (b) Histogram represents quantitative analysis of IL-1β-positive cell area in each experimental group. per group. (c) The caspase-1 activity in pancreas tissue lysates was assessed using Ac-YVAD-pNA. per group. (d) Immunoblotting analysis was performed for NLRP3, ASC, and active IL-1β (p17) in pancreas tissue lysates of mice. Histograms represent optical density values of NLRP3 (e), ASC (f), and active IL-1β (g) normalized to the corresponding tubulin. per group. Values are expressed as mean ± SD, ^# versus WT + BSA group. versus WT + AGEs group.

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