Fig. 4.

Confocal microscopic analysis of NLRP3, STAT3, E-cadherin, and SNAIL1 expression in liver and pancreatic tissues. (A) Liver tissue was immunofluorescently stained to identify NLRP3 (green) and STAT3 (red), with H33342 (blue) marking nuclei. NLRP3 expression gradually decreased in the STZ, STZ/P, and P/STZ groups, whereas STAT3 expression increased in the STZ/P and P/STZ groups. (B) Pancreatic tissue was immunofluorescently stained to detect NLRP3 (green) and STAT3 (red), with H33342 (blue) as a nuclear marker. NLRP3 and STAT3 expression was upregulated in the P and P/STZ groups but decreased in the STZ/P group. (C) Liver tissue was immunofluorescently stained to assess E-cadherin (green) and SNAIL1 (red), with H33342 (blue) labeling nuclei. E-cadherin expression increased in the N, P, and STZ groups, while SNAIL1 expression was elevated in the STZ/P and P/STZ groups. (D) Fluorescence intensity was quantified using Zen and Image J software. Error bars represent standard deviation from independent experiments (n = 3). Results are reported as mean ± standard deviation. STZ, streptozotocin; STZ/P, STZ injection before Panc02 cell injection; P/STZ, STZ injection after Panc02 cell injection. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001.