Figure 9.

Hypermethylation of the miR-145 Promoter Is the Key Regulator of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Plaque Formation

Inflammation-induced DNMT1 elevation or Tet2 reduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of the aortic wall, which led to miR-145 promoter hypermethylation and its low expression. Low levels of miR-145 weakened the inhibitory effect of miR-145 on the CD137/NFATc1 axis, which further activated the NLRP3 inflammasome to amplify the inflammatory reaction and induce plaque formation or rupture. Abbreviations as in Figures 3, 5, and 7.