Fig 1: The expression of CD36 was upregulated and positively correlated with NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LN patients.A Scatter plot of CD36 and NLRP3 mRNA expression in whole blood samples from healthy donors (n = 24), SLE without LN (n = 18), and LN patients (n = 57). B Pearson correlation analysis between CD36 and NLRP3, CASP1, IL1B mRNA expression in whole blood samples. C Scatter plot of CD36 and NLRP3 mRNA expression in renal glomeruli from Control living donors (n = 14) and LN patients (n = 32), relevant data are from GEO database (GSE35291). D Pearson correlation analysis between CD36 and NLRP3, CASP1, IL1B, NPHS1 mRNA expression in renal glomeruli, relevant data are from GEO database (GSE35291). E–H Immunohistochemical staining showed the localization and relative quantification of CD36, NLRP3 protein in renal biopsy specimens of human (scale bar 20 μm and 10 μm). The relative expression of protein was indirectly reflected by AOD value. The red arrow denoted the most prominent podocyte (original magnification: ×400). Data are expressed as the mean ± SD. **p < 0.01. ***p < 0.001.