Fig. 3

HG increases ROS level in HASMCs to trigger NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent calcification. a HASMCs were kept as the controls or were treated with NG, mannitol (M), or HG for 24 h and then the intracellular ROS level was examined. b, c HASMCs were kept as the controls or were pretreated with DMSO or NAC, a ROS scavenger, for 1 h and then treated with HG for 2 and 14 days. The NLRP3, caspase 1 (pro and cleaved form), and IL-1β (pro and mature form) protein expressions b, OPN, OCN, and ALP mRNA expressions c in HASMCs, and HASMC calcification d were examined. Data in a and c, d are mean ± SEM from three independent experiments. Results in b are representative of three independent experiments with similar results and the bar graphs are mean ± SEM from three independent experiments. *P < 0.05 vs. control cells. ^#P < 0.05 vs. DMSO/HG-treated cells