Fig. 1.

Female post-menopausal patients present reduced estrogen receptor levels and autophagy and increased NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in the ascending aorta. (A) Representative histological images of HE staining in ascending aorta in pre-menopausal women and post-menopausal women. (B) Representative transmission electron microscopy images of ascending aorta in pre-menopausal women and post-menopausal women. The boxed area is showed by a higher magnification. Arrow in red, autophagosome. (C) Representative immunohistochemical staining images of IL-1, IL-18 and Hcy in ascending aorta in pre-menopausal women and post-menopausal women. Up boxed area showed a higher magnification of the intima and the down boxed area showed a higher magnification of the media. (D) Related to C, the intensity analysis of IL-1, IL-18 and Hcy in the endothelium (left panel) and vascular smooth muscle cells (right panel) of ascending aorta in pre-menopausal women and post-menopausal women. In all experiments, n = 12. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.