Fig. 1. DHEA inhibits the activation of inflammatory signal and NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages.

A, B J774A.1 cells were pre-treated with DHEA (50 μM) for 1 h, then the cells were stimulated with 100 ng/mL LPS for 1 or 4 h. After that, the p-ERK/ERK, p-p65/p65, IκBα, NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, and p62 protein expression levels were measured by western blotting and quantified by Image J software. C J774A.1 cells were pre-treated with different doses of DHEA (0, 10, 20, 50 μM) for 1 h and primed with 100 ng/mL LPS for 4 h; then stimulated with NLRP3 activators nigericin (10 μM) for 1 h. The NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, pro-Cas1, and Cas1 p20 protein levels were measured by western blotting. D After indicated treatments, the ASC speck formation was analyzed by immunofluorescence, scale bar = 50 μm. Data are presented as means ± SEM (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, compared with the respective control.