fig5

Figure 5. Inflammasome is activated in aortic medial VSMCs and in cultured aortic VSMCs of old age LCR rats. Representative confocal images of aortic cross sections stained for inflammasome activation markers (AIM2, caspase-1, IL-18, and VCAM1) in young and old age rats (A, left panels, red). Aortas were co-stained for ACTA2 (green). The bright yellow fluorescence indicates activation of specific inflammasome markers in medial VSMCs. Data are presented as average integrated density/ROI ± SEM where n = 4 (A, right panels). Representative Western blots showing expression of the inflammasome markers in VSMC lysates (B, left panel). Data are presented as fold change, mean ± SEM, n = 4 (B). Scale is 50 μm. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001.