Fig. 4.

Blockaded NLRP3 inflammasome activation by MCC950 could effectively reduce the recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in a Tgfbr1/Pten 2cKO HNSCC mouse model. a Flow cytometry dot plots for MDSCs isolated from control and MCC950-treated 2cKO tumor-bearing mice. b, c Quantification and statistical analysis show MCC950 treatment decreased the populations of MDSCs in HNSCC mice spleen and tumor (data shown as mean ± SEM). d The expression of IL-1β and MDSCs associated cytokines, CCL2 and CXCL1, in tumors were analyzed by western blot after HNSCC mice received PBS or anti-NLRP3 activation treatments. e Representative immunofluorescence microscopy images of granulocytic MDSCs (CD11b⁺Ly6G⁺) in the control or MCC950-treated mice tumor tissue. CD11b in red, Ly6G in green and DAPI in blue; scale bar = 50 μm. f Quantitative analysis of CD11b- and Ly6G-positive cells in three groups (data shown as mean ± SEM). In the histogram, Gray = control group, yellow = 10 mg/kg MCC950 group and blue = 15 mg/kg MCC950 group