Fig. 1.

Monosodium urate (MSU) (100 μg/ml) upregulates TGF-β and collagen1 in LX-2 human and primary mouse hepatic stellate cells (HSC), but not apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC)−/− mice. A: mRNA for the NLRP3 and ASC are expressed in the human HSC cell line LX-2 and in primary mouse HSC by RT-PCR and Western blotting. B: MSU increases production of TGF-β and collagen1 mRNA by LX-2 cells and primary mouse HSC (P < 0.05, and P < 0.01). C: MSU upregulates TGF-β and collagen1 in primary HSC from wild-type (Wt) mice, but not from ASC−/− mice (P < 0.05).