Figure 5.
Effect of maraviroc on the expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome after traumatic brain injury.
(A–G) Representative western blot bands and quantitative data of NLRP3 (B), ASC (C), cleaved caspase-1 p20 (D), IL-1β (E), IL-18 (F), and cleaved GSDMD (G) in the pericontusional cerebral cortex 3 days post-TBI. Maraviroc treatment alleviated the TBI-induced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome components and substrates at 3 days postinjury compared with the TBI + vehicle group (P = 0.0082 for B, P < 0.05 for C–G). (H–I) Representative immunofluorescence staining micrographs for caspase-1 p20 (green) in the perilesional cortex at 3 days post-TBI. The black boxes in the hematoxylin and eosin-stained illustration show the perilesional cortex. Scale bars: 100 µm. Maraviroc treatment significantly decreased the number of caspase-1 p20-positive cells compared with the TBI + vehicle group (P = 0.0027). One-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test was used. Data are shown as the mean ± SD (n = 5/group). All experiments were repeated at least three times. ASC: Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD; DAPI: 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; GSDMD: gasdermin-D; IL: interleukin; NLRP3: NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3; TBI: traumatic brain injury.