Figure 3.

Apoptin-induced pyroptosis depends on the caspase family of proteases. (A) HCT116 cells were treated with siRNA targeting caspase-3. (B) Cleavage of GSDME was detected by western blot. (C) GSDME knockdown diminished LDH release and increased HCT116 cellsviability. (D) HCT116 cells were treated with siRNA targeting caspase-9. (E) GSDME cleavage was detected by western blotting. (F) GSDME knockdown diminished LDH release and increased HCT116 cells viability. The red arrowheads indicate characteristics of pyroptotic cells. (G) Expression of cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-6, cleaved-caspase-7, cleaved-caspase-8, cleaved-caspase-9, and apoptin. (H) Pretreatment with caspase-3 specific inhibitor DEVD and caspase broad-spectrum inhibitor QVD. GSDME was detected by western blotting. Data are shown as mean ± SD (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001)