Fig. 1

Chronic stress increases the expression of NLRP1 inflammasome complexes and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in mice. a Representative immunoreactive bands showing the protein levels of hippocampal NLRP1, ASC and caspase-1 in the control, CUMS, CRS, RSDS, and CSDS mice. b–d statistical results show that CUMS, CRS, RSDS, and CSDS increased the protein expression of b NLRP1 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 5.70, ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01 vs control), c ASC (n = 6, F_4,25 = 7.39, ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001 vs control) and d caspase-1 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 13.0, ^***P <0.001 vs control) in the hippocampus. e–g Statistical results show that CUMS, CRS, RSDS, and CSDS increased the mRNA expression of e NLRP1 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 10.9, ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001 vs control), f ASC (n = 6, F_4,25 = 8.65, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001 vs control) and g caspase-1 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 6.33, ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001 vs control) in the hippocampus. h–k Statistical results show that CUMS, CRS, RSDS, and CSDS increased the levels of h IL-1β (n = 6, F_4,25 = 15.4, ^***P < 0.001 vs control), i IL-18 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 32.3, ^***P < 0.001 vs control), j IL-6 (n = 6, F_4,25 = 18.5, ^***P < 0.001 vs control), and k TNF-α (n = 6, F_4,25 = 29.1, ^***P < 0.001 vs control) in the hippocampus. Data are expressed as means ± SEM. One-way ANOVA, Bonferroni test