Fig 1: Hemoglobin-derived peptides and ferryl hemoglobin induce proinflammatory gene expression in the endothelium.Relative expression of IL-1ß, TNF, NLRP3, and CASP1 from human healthy/complicated carotid arteries was analyzed by real-time qPCR (n = 5) (a). HUVECs were treated with FHb and the peptides (10 µmol/L). Relative expression of TNF, IL-1-ß, and ICAM1 was analyzed by real-time qPCR (n = 3) (b). Protein expression of NLRP3, CASP1, and GAPDH was determined by western blotting. The band intensities were normalized to that of GAPDH (c). Protein expression of Il-1ß in the supernatant was determined by western blotting (d). Immunoblots are representative, n = 3. The results are shown as the mean values ± SEMs of the experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. CTR means untreated.