Fig. 4.

DSS augments K⁺ efflux and the subsequent NEK7-NLRP3 interaction during NLRP3 activation. A–C DSS enhanced the efflux of K⁺ from cells stimulated with ATP (A), nigericin (B) and low extracellular K⁺ concentrations (C). BMDMs were differentiated from the bone marrow cells of Nlrp3^−/− mice. After the cells were primed with LPS for 4 h, the LPS was removed, and the cells were treated with DSS and then stimulated with 1 mM ATP for 10 min (A), 1 µM nigericin for 10 min (B) or low extracellular K⁺ (1.25 mM) medium for 30 min (C). D, E The ATP-induced NLRP3-NEK7 interaction was enhanced by DSS pretreatment. Immunofluorescence staining revealed the colocalization of NEK7 and ASC specks after the indicated treatments (D). Scale bars, 10 µm. A Co-IP assay was performed to assess the interaction of NEK7 and NLRP3 after the indicated treatments (E). The data are expressed as the mean ± SD, and statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test. ns, not significant. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001