Fig. 1. Environmental hyperosmolarity activates NLRP3 inflammasome while suppresses NLRP6 production in primary HCECs.
(A) mRNA expressions of NLRP3, ASC and NLRP6 by HCECs in hyperosmotic medium (400, 450 and 500mOsM) with isomolar 312mOsM as control, evaluated by RT-qPCR. (B) The protein levels of NLRP3, ASC and NLRP6 in HCECs exposed to iso- and hyper-osmotic medium, evaluated by Western blotting with β-actin as internal control. (C) Caspase-1 activity assay in HCECs with iso- and hyper-osmotic medium. (D) mRNA expression and protein secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 in HCECs exposed to iso- and hyper-osmotic medium, evaluated by RT-qPCR and ELISA. Data shown are representative of three or more independent experiments (mean ± SD). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, vs. controls.