Figure 3.

The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is a key step of HSC activation. Lots of studies have testified that ROS is an activator of NLRP3 inflammasome. In HSCs, NLRP3 inflammasomes are activated by ROS and the procaspase-1 is transformed into activated caspase-1. Then, pro-IL-18 and pro-IL-1β were activated into mature IL-18 and IL-1β. Moreover, caspase-1 can also cause pyroptosis of HSCs. After pyroptosis, cytomembrane is ruptured and the cytoplasmic contents will be released into extracellular environment, such as IL-18, IL-1β, TGF-β, and CTGF, leading to HSC activation.