Figure 5.

Melatonin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in db/db mice. Liver sections were stained with caspase-1 as well as DAPI to monitor caspase-1 expression. (a–p) Representative immunofluorescent staining of caspase-1 in diabetic mice. (×200; scale bar, 100 μm). (q) Protein levels of NLRP3 and caspase-1 were evaluated by western blots and were normalized to GAPDH. The bar graph showed that melatonin administration significantly increased the expression of (r) NLRP3 and (s) caspase-1. Protein levels of (t) IL-1β and (u) IL-18 were analyzed by ELISA. Values are mean ± SD, (A–S: n = 3; T, U: n = 6). *p < 0.05 vs db/m, ^#p < 0.05 vs db/db.