Melatonin Alleviates Radiation-Induced Lung Injury via Regulation of miR-30e/NLRP3 Axis

Figure 4

Melatonin mediates the miR-30e/NLRP3 inflammasome axis. (a) Effect of melatonin on the expression of miR-30e following radiation exposure in RAW 264.7 cells. The relative quantification of miR-30e-3p was normalized using the U6 results. per group. (b) RT-qPCR analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between miR-30e and NLRP3 mRNA levels for individual samples. The data are presented as the means ± SEM. vs. the control group. vs. the radiation group. (c) Representative images of immunofluorescence staining with NLRP3 (green) (magnification is ×400) in the cytoplasm of irradiated RAW 264.7 cells are shown. The robust NLRP3 expression was reversed by melatonin treatment (500 μmol/L), while it was dramatically blunted by the miR-30e mimic after radiation challenge. Cell nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Similar results were obtained from three independent experiments. RT, radiation; Mel, melatonin.

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