Table 2.

Sequence of primers used for quantitative RT-PCR.

Genes	Forward (5′-3′)	Reverse (5′-3′)
NLRP3	CTTCTCTGATGAGGCCCAAG	GCAGCAAACTGGAAAGGAAG
pro-IL-1β	TCCAGGGACAGGATATGGAG	TCTTTCAACACGCAGGACAG
pro-IL-18	AAGATGGCTGCTGAACCAGT	GAGGCCGATTTCCTTGGTCA
Col1a1	AAGAGTGGAGAGTACTGGATT	GTTCTTGCTGATGTACCAGT
α-SMA	CGTGGGTGACGAAGCACAG	GGTGGGATGCTCTTCAGGG
TGF-β	GGCCAGATCCTGTCCAAGC	GTGGGTTTCCACCATTAGCAC
GAPDH	CCACTCCTCCACCTTTGAC	ACCCTGTTGCTGTAGCCA

Abbreviations: NLRP3, nod-like receptor protein-3; COL1A1, collagen I; α-SMA, α-smooth muscle actin; TGF-β, transforming growth factor beta; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.