Fig. 1

Ethyl pyruvate inhibits NLRP3 agonists-induced inflammasome activation in mouse macrophages. a Peritoneal mouse macrophages were primed with ultra-pure LPS (1 μg/ml) for 3 h. in the presence or the absence of EP (1 or 5 mM), and then stimulated with ATP (5 mM) for 30 min. The pro-caspase1, cleavage of caspase-1 and Pro-IL-1β, IL-1β and the release of HMGB1 in supernatants and expression of pro-caspase1, pro-IL-1β in cell were assessed by Western-blot. b Peritoneal mouse macrophages were primed with ultra-pure LPS (1 μg/ml) for 3 h. in the presence or the absence of EP (1 or 5 mM), and then stimulated with ATP (5 mM) for 30 min. Cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. c Peritoneal mouse macrophages were primed with ultra-pure LPS (1 μg/ml) for 3 h. in the presence or the absence of EP (1 or 5 mM), and then stimulated with ATP (5 mM) or nigericin (10 μM) for 30 min. Levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the culture medium were determined by ELISA. d Peritoneal mouse macrophages were primed with ultra-pure LPS (1 μg/ml) for 3 h. with or without EP (5 or 10 mM), and then stimulated with alum (20 μg/ml) or silica (10 μg/ml) 6h. Cytotoxicity was analyzed by LDH assay and IL-1β level was determined by ELISA. Results are means ± SEM (n = 3). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001