Fig. 3.

Impact of recombinant human proteoglycan-4 (rhPRG4) treatment on monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystal-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 macrophages were treated with 100μg/ml MSU in the absence or presence of rhPRG4 (100 and 200μg/ml) for 12 h. H₂O₂ (5 mM) was used as a positive control. Data represent the mean ± S.D. of three independent experiments. *p < 0.001; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.05; n.s.: non-significant. a A representative Western Blot of inflammasome components NLRP3 and procaspase-1, pro-IL-1β, active caspase-1 (p10) and active IL-1β (p17). rhPRG4 treatment reduced NLRP3 induction, procaspase-1 activation and conversion of pro IL-1β to active IL-1β (p17) but did not modify H₂O₂ induced inflammasome activation. b rhPRG4 (100 and 200μg/ml) treatment reduced NLRP3 protein in MSU-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. c rhPRG4 (100 and 200μg/ml) treatment reduced caspase-1 (p10) protein in MSU-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. d rhPRG4 (200μg/ml) treatment reduced IL-1β (p17) protein in MSU-stimulated THP-1 macrophages