Visceral white AT characterization in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet.

<p>(A) Representative immunohistochemical 10X images of retroperitoneal white AT stained for Mac-2; (B) gene expression in stromal vascular cells isolated from epididymal white AT; (C) average adipocyte size in retroperitoneal white AT; (D) Mac-2 positive immunostained area in retroperitoneal white AT; (E) protein content of Mac-2 via Western blotting in retroperitoneal white AT; (F) protein content of pro-caspase-1 via Western blotting in retroperitoneal white AT; (G) protein content of p10 caspase-1 (cleavage) via Western blotting in retroperitoneal white AT; (H) representative Western blot bans. Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet; G, main effect of genotype; DxG, diet by genotype interaction. Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold. *denotes p<0.05 in panel B.</p

Liver characterization in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet.

<p>(A) Liver weight; (B) liver triglycerides (TG); representative histological 20X images stained for H&E. Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet; G, main effect of genotype; DxG, diet by genotype interaction. Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold.</p

Body weight and composition in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet.

<p>(A) Weekly body weights; (B) final body weight; (C) final % body fat. Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet; G, main effect of genotype; DxG, diet by genotype interaction. Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold.</p

Glucose tolerance testing (GTT) in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet at 15 and 25 weeks of age.

<p>(A) Glucose levels after glucose injection; (B) glucose area under the curve (AUC) during GTT. Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet; G, main effect of genotype; DxG, diet by genotype interaction. Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold.</p

AT gene expression in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet.

<p>(A) Visceral white (i.e., retroperitoneal) AT; (B) brown (i.e., interscapular) AT. Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet (p<0.05); G, main effect of genotype (p<0.05). No significant interactions were found.</p

Animal characteristics.

<p>Animal characteristics.</p

Aortic stiffness and cardiac characterization in WT and <i>Nlrp3</i>^-/- mice fed a control diet versus Western diet.

<p>(A) Aortic pulse wave velocity; (B) representative histological cardiac 10X images stained for trichrome blue (arrows point to trichrome blue positive-stained regions); (C) cardiomyocyte diameter; (D) cardiac fibrosis (quantification of trichrome blue positive-stained area). Data are expressed as means ± SE. WT, wild-type; KO, <i>Nlrp3</i> knockout, CD, control diet; WD, Western diet; D, main effect of diet; G, main effect of genotype; DxG, diet by genotype interaction. Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold.</p