Figure 1.

Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPA₁) antagonist attenuates nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) upregulation in injured brains after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) challenge. Mice were induced with tMCAO. AM095 (30 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered immediately after reperfusion. (a) mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 at one day after ischemic challenge by qPCR analysis. (b,c) NLRP3 expression determined by immunohistochemistry at one day after tMCAO challenge. (b) Representative images of NLRP3-immunopositive cells in perilesional cortex (P), penumbra (Pe), and ischemic core (C) regions. A graphical abstract image at the top shows cerebral areas where images in top, middle, and bottom planes are taken. Arrows indicate NLRP3-immunopostive cells. Cells in the insets are indicated as asterisks (*). (c) Quantification of NLRP3-immunopositive cells in penumbra and ischemic core regions. Scale bar, 50 µm (inset, 10 µm). n = 4 mice per group. *** p < 0.001 versus sham. ^### p < 0.001 versus vehicle-administered tMCAO group. Neurological deficit scores of mice used for qPCR analysis and immunohistochemistry are presented as a supplementary figure (Figure S1a,b).