Fig. 3

T. pallidum infection for different times promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β expression in macrophages. a, mRNA levels of NLRP3. b, mRNA levels of caspase-1. c, mRNA levels of IL-1β. d, Protein levels of IL-1β. e and f, Protein levels of NLRP3, active caspase-1, and IL-1β determined by western blotting analysis. The values represent the means±SDs of triplicate trials and are representative of three independent experiments. The western blotting results are representative of three independent experiments. Student’s t-test was applied to compare the cells infected for different times with the cells infected for 0 h. ** P < 0.01; *** P < 0.001