Figure 4.

Ctns ^−/− mice have increased inflammasome-related gene expression in kidneys and higher circulating IL-18 levels compared with WT mice. (A) Total kidney RNA extracts were analyzed using microarray analysis. Gene expression changes between Ctns^−/− and WT kidneys are expressed as fold change. The genes listed are significant at the nominal 0.001 level of the univariate test. (B–D) Real-time PCR analyses of gene products involved in inflammasome pathway in kidneys from 5-/7-month-old and 15-/17-month-old WT or Ctns^−/− mice. The results are expressed as arbitrary units (AU) and obtained after normalization with the housekeeping gene Gapdh. Black horizontal lines represent the median values. (E) IL-18 was measured by ELISA in sera from 5-/7-month-old and 15-/17-month-old WT or Ctns^−/− mice. Black horizontal lines represent the median values. *P<0.05; **P<0.01.