Fig. 4

pcDNA3.1(+)-giardins activate host NLRP3 inflammasome in vivo. Mice were immunized (i.m.) with recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmids pcDNA3.1(+)-alpha-2 giardin or pcDNA3.1(+)-alpha-7.3 giardin and then received the MCC950 treatment (i.p.; MCC950 group) or not (MOCK group). The PBS or pcDNA3.1(+) plasmid treatment groups were used as negative controls, and the G. duodenalis cyst treatment group was the positive control. a The experimental groups and treatment scheme. b Mice serum IL-1β levels were detected on the 7th day using ELISA assays. Differences among the groups within the MOCK group were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, while differences between each group in the MOCK group and MCC950 group were analyzed by the t-test using SPSS version 22.0 software. Asterisks indicate a significant difference among treatment groups in the MOCK group at *P < 0.05 and ***P < 0.001; the dollar sign ($) indicates a significant difference at P < 0.05 between each group in the MOCK group and the MCC950 group. The results were obtained from seven independent biological experiments. i.m., intramuscular; n.s., not significant (P > 0.05)