Fig. 2

Anti-dsDNA antibodies from SLE patients activated inflammasome in monocytes/macrophages. a Monocytes from SLE patients were stimulated with different stimuli (health control serum, RF positive serum, anti-dsDNA antibody-positive serum, LPS + ATP or vehicle control). The activation of caspase-1 was measured by flow cytometry. Anti-dsDNA antibody-positive serum from SLE patients increased the activity of caspase-1 in monocytes. Healthy control serum or RF-positive serum from RA patients did not affect the activity of caspase-1. b SLE monocytes were stimulated with IgG from healthy controls or anti-dsDNA antibodies from SLE patients. Anti-dsDNA antibodies increased the activity of caspase-1. Healthy control IgG had no effect on the activity of caspase-1 in monocyte. c Monocytes from healthy controls or SLE patients were stimulated with anti-dsDNA antibodies. Activation of caspase-1 in SLE monocytes was significantly increased as compared to monocytes from healthy controls. d, e SLE Monocyte derived macrophages were stimulated with anti-dsDNA antibodies. Anti-dsDNA antibodies stimulated the activation of inflammome, which can be inhibited by NLRP3 inhibitor glyburide or caspase-1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK. Each experiment was repeated for three times. *p < 0.01, **p < 0.001. α-dsDNA anti-dsDNA antibodies; RF rheumatoid factor