FIG. 7.

The formation and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in the endothelium of carotid arteries during ligation injury. The formation and activation of endothelial NLRP3 inflammasomes were observed in the intima of carotid arteries during ligation that induces vascular injury or inflammation locally. IL-1β production in the intima could almost be completely blocked by caspase-1 inhibitor and ASC gene silencing or knocking out. Scale bar=10 μm. To see this illustration in color, the reader is referred to the web version of this article at www.liebertpub.com/ars