NR4A1 silencing alleviates high-glucose-stimulated HK-2 cells pyroptosis and fibrosis via hindering NLRP3 activation and PI3K/AKT pathway

Figure 1 Metabolic indices and renal pathological alterations in diabetic kidney disease rats. A: Comparison of blood glucose, urinary microalbumin, blood creatinine, body weight, and renal index of rats; B: Representative images of histopathological changes in the rat kidneys. Hematoxylin and eosin: Lobular structure (blue arrow), vacuolated cytoplasm (black arrow), inflammatory cell infiltration in the periphery (orange arrow); Periodic acid-Schiff: Hyperplasia of the mesangial matrix (black arrow), basement membrane thickening (orange arrow). Scale bar = 20 μm, n = 9. ^aP < 0.05 vs control. CON: Control; DKD: Diabetic kidney disease; KI: Kidney index.