Figure 4
NLRP3 priming and activation by erionite in HMC. Human mesothelial cells (LP9) exposed to erionite in vitro show dose-related increases in steady-state mRNA levels of NLRP3, (A) and IL-1β, (B) but not ASC/PYCARD (C). Increases in caspase-1 activity (D) and IL-1β release (E) also are observed by erionite at high concentrations (SA = 1,200 μm2/cm2 dish) (N = 3 samples/group/time point). * = significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) from untreated control group (0) at same time point; † = significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) from respective erionite-exposed group at 24 h. Lack of intracellular accumulation of HMGB1 in response to erionite (F) supports rapid dose-related increases in release by erionite as measured by Western blot analyses on cell medium (G) (N = 2 samples/group/time point). * = significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) as compared to untreated control group (0) at the same time point.