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. 2018 Feb 7;9(2):171. doi: 10.1038/s41419-017-0257-3

Fig. 3. Nicotine triggered pyroptosis in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs).

Fig. 3

a–b The protein levels of Caspase-1, IL-18, and IL-1β were upregulated in HAECs after treatment with nicotine for 24 h, as indicated by western blot results. GAPDH was used as an internal control. c The relative mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18) and Caspase-1 were upregulated in HAECs after treatment with nicotine for 24 h. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. The data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 3–5). d Caspase-1 (green) and TUNEL (red) double-positive cells were increased in the presence of nicotine. The nuclei were stained blue with DAPI. Magnification: ×200. Scale bar = 100 μm. e The relative LDH release was elevated in nicotine-treated endothelial cells (n = 3). **P < 0.01. f The percentage of PI (red) positive cells were increased in HAECs after treatment with nicotine (left: the representative photographs, right: the quantification of PI positive cells). Magnification: ×200. Scale bar = 500 μm. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. The data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 4)