Figure 1.

Ox-LDL treatment increases and decreases NLRP3 and miR-125a-5p expression levels, respectively in HVSMCs. The cells were treated with ox-LDL (20 µg/ml) for 24 h. α-SMA levels was measured by (A) immunofluorescence and (B) western blot assays. The expression levels of (C) NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1 and (D) IL-1β were detected using western blotting and ELISA, respectively. (E) Reverse transcription quantitative-PCR assays were used to detect miR-125a-5p levels. Scale bar, 50 µm. **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001 vs. HVSMCs. HVSMC, human vascular smooth muscle cells; miR, microRNA; IL, interleukin; ox-LDL, oxidised low-density lipoprotein; NLRP3, NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3; α-SMA, smooth muscle actin; ASC, apoptosis associated speck-like protein.