Fig 2: Inhibition of NLRP3 resulted in down-regulation of the expression of inflammasomes and pyroptosis-related proteins. THP-1 macrophages were pre-treated with NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 10 μM for 2 h, followed by BCG infection for 24 h (A,B). Compared to the BCG group, the expression of the inflammasome-related proteins (NLRP3, Caspase-1 p48, ASC) was downregulated in the MCC950+BCG group. (A,C) Compared to the BCG group, the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins (GSDMD-N, IL-1 p17, IL-18 p22) was down-regulated in the MCC950+BCG group. Data are from mean ± SD of three independent experiments, ns p > 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

Fig 3: CETPi decreases caspase-1 and COX-2 protein expression in human and mouse cells.(A–C) COX-2 and Caspase-1 expression in PBMCs treated with increasing doses of CETPi. (D–E) COX-2 expression in THP1 cells treated with control or CETPi (1 μM) (mean ± SD, 1.00 ± 0.42 [Control, n = 3] versus 1.31 ± 0.38 [CETPi, n = 3], unpaired t test, P = 0.03). (F–G) Caspase-1 in THP1 cells treated with control or CETPi (1 μM) (mean ± SD, 1.00 ± 0.19 [Control, n = 3] versus 2.02 ± 0.11 [CETPi, n = 3], unpaired t test, P = 0.02). (H) Expression of ROS in THP1 cells treated with control or CETPi (2 μM), (mean ± SD, 2.45 ± 0.36 [CETPi, n = 6] versus 1.00 ± 0.19 [Control, n = 6], unpaired t test, P = 0.00005). (I–K) Expression of COX-2 and CETP in RAW264.7 cells after adenovirus transfection induced-CETP overexpression in increasing MOIs. (L–M) Expression of pro–caspase-1 and cleaved caspase-1 in RAW 264.7 cells after adenovirus transfection–induced CETP overexpression at MOI = 1.6. Pro–caspase-1: mean ± SD, 1.00 ± 0.15 (Control, n = 3) versus 0.45 ± 0.22 (CETP overexpress, n = 3), unpaired t test, P = 0.02; cleaved caspase-1: mean ± SD, 1.00 ± 0.14 (Control, n = 3) versus 0.58 ± 0.16 (CETP overexpress, n = 3), unpaired t test, P = 0.03. Data displayed as mean ± SD. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Caspase-1, caspase-1/IL-1 converting enzyme; COX-2, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2; MOI, multiplicity of infection; PBMC, human peripheral blood mononuclear cell; RAW, murine macrophage cell; ROS, reactive oxygen species; THP1, human peripheral blood monocyte.