Activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome via mitochondrial ROS in glomerular cells aggravates experimental diabetic nephropathy

Introduction: Sterile inflammation and activation of the NLRP3-Inflammosome have been implicated in diabetes. Mitochondrial ROS are a known trigger of the inflammasome. Whether inflammosome activation is causally involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and whether resident or bone marrow derived inflammatory cells are involved remains unkown. Methods: Murine models of type-2 and type-1 diabetes and diabetic patients (n = 67) with microalbuminuria were analyzed. dNP was quantified based on albuminuria and histological changes. Expression levels of cl-caspase-1, IL1b and IL18 was determined by immunob…