AS-IV inhibits HG-induced decrease in cell viability and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in podocytes. (A) Morphological images of each group of podocytes (scale bar, 100 µm; magnification, ×100). (B) Podocytes were cultured with different concentration of AS-IV (10, 20, or 40 µM) for 24 h and the cell viability was assessed using MTT assays. (C) Western blot analysis of NLRP3, pro-caspase-1, and caspase-1. The protein levels of (D) NLRP3, (E) pro-caspase-1, and (F) caspase-1 were normalized to β-tubulin protein level. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation (n=3). **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001 vs. the control; #P<0.05 and ##P<0.01 vs. HG. Control, normal glucose; HG, high glucose; AS-IV, Astragaloside IV; NLRP3, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3.