Figure 7.
H2 alleviates cytokine release and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the lungs of septic mice via increasing autophagy. Septic mice were treated with H2, autophagy inducer Rap and autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. After 24 h, lung tissues were collected to detect cytokines (A) IL-1β, (B) IL-18 and (C) TNF-α by ELISA and the expression of (D) caspase-1, (E) NLRP3 and (F) ASC by western blotting. Data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n=6). *P<0.05 vs. Con group, **P<0.05 vs. the CLP group, #P<0.05 vs. CLP+H2 group. Rap, rapamycin; 3-MA, 3-methyladenine; IL, interleukin; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; NLRP3, NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3; ASC, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD; CLP, cecal ligation and puncture; H2, hydrogen; Con, control.