Macrophage-Derived Exosome Transferred Mir-155 Into Cardiomyocytes and Worsened Cardiomyocytes Pyroptosis in Vivo
Uremic miR-155−/− mice were injected with macrophage original exosomes through weekly tail injections for 8 weeks. (A) Overview of the experimental in vivo procedure. (B) Representative immunohistochemical staining of caspase-1. (C) Quantification of caspase-1 expression in heart tissues (n = 6 per group). (D) Levels of Gsdmd p30, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, and FoxO3a proteins. (E) Graphic presentation shows the relative abundance levels of Gsdmd p30, caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, and FoxO3a after normalization with GAPDH (n = 6 per group). (F) TUNEL assay; the yellow arrows indicate TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes. (G) Quantification of TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes (n = 6 per group). (H) Gross morphology of heart. (I) Summary of heart weight (n = 6 per group) and (J) heart weights/body weights (n = 6 per group). (K) Representative micrographs of sagittal sections (HE). (L) Summary of myocyte size (n = 6 per group). (M) Representative micrographs of left ventricular sections (Trichrome). (N) Summary of semiquantification of the Trichrome-positive area (n = 6 per group). Scale bars: 2 mm (F); 50 μm (B, K, M). #p < 0.05 versus control, *p < 0.05 versus uremic group. Abbreviations as in Figures 1 and 2.