Fig. 3

Inflammasome in the lungs of patients with COVID-19 ARDS, non-COVID-19 ARDS and non-COVID-19 non-ARDS. Representative images of the immunofluorescence in lung sections stained with anti-NLRP3 and Caspase 1. A The NLRP3 subunit (green) along the walls of arterioles (arrow). Upper panels: COVID-19 ARDS lungs. Middle Panels: Lungs from non-COVID-19 ARDS subjects. Lower Panels: Lungs from non-COVID-19 non-ARDS subjects, without respiratory disease. B Caspase staining (green). Upper panels: Upper panels: COVID-19 ARDS lungs. Middle Panels: Lungs from non-COVID-19 ARDS subjects. Lower Panels: Lungs from non-COVID 19 non-ARDS subjects, without respiratory disease. C Quantitation of the fluorescence intensity of the images using MetaMorph Imaging Program. *p < 0.01 as compared to non-COVID non-ARDS lungs. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Group differences were evaluated by ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc comparisons. Statistical significance was accepted as p < 0.05. D NLRP3 (green) and caspase 1 (red) in lung sections of patients with COVID-19. Arrows show colocalization (yellow) in regions along the vascular wall