Fig. 6

Cognitive impairment may be related to pyroptosis-associated inflammatory responses in astrocytes. A Representative photomicrographs of NLRP3-, IL-18-, IL-1β- and cleaved caspase-1-positive cells in the CA1 of the hippocampus at 12 h and 10 days after surgical exposure. Scale bar = 50 μm. B Image of CA1 in hippocampus. C–J Co-stained area of NLRP3-, IL-18-, IL-1β-, cleaved caspase-1- and GFAP-positive cells in the CA1 of the hippocampus. K Representative western blot of NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18 and cleaved caspase-1 at 12 h after surgical exposure. L–O The optical density values of NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, and cleaved caspase-1 at 12 h after surgical exposure. P Representative western blot of NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18 and cleaved caspase-1 at 10 days after surgical exposure. Q–T The optical density values of NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18 and cleaved caspase-1 at 10 days after surgical exposure. Data are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 6 mice/group or n = 3 mice/group). Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test or Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn’s multiple comparison test. ***P < 0.001; **P < 0.01; *P < 0.05