Figure 1

Cholinergic neural signals inhibit inflammasome activation. LPS-primed peritoneal mouse macrophages (A) or human macrophages (B) were stimulated with ATP in the presence or the absence of different dose of acetylcholine (Ach) for 30 min. (C) Mice were subjected to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or sham operation. At 3 h later, all mice were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (10 mg/kg). And serum samples were collected 2.5 h later. (D) LPS-primed peritoneal mouse macrophages were stimulated with ATP in the presence or the absence of different dose of GTS-21 for 15 min. (D) Mice were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (10 mg/kg) alone or LPS (10 mg/kg) and GTS-21 (4 mg/kg). And serum samples were collected 2.5 h later. IL-1β cleavage, HMGB1 release and caspase-1 activation were assessed by Western blot analysis. Levels of IL-1β, IL-18 or IL-6 in cell culture medium or serum samples were measured by ELISA. Blots are representative of three independent experiments. Data shown are means ± SD. #p < 0.05 versus nonstimulated or sham-operated groups.