Fig. 8

Irisin inhibits TCs inflammasome activation and fibrosis. TCs were treated with DHT, in the presence or absence of irisin. A The expression of ASC and GSDMD in TCs was assessed by qRT-PCR. B The expression of NLRP3 inflammasome activation factors (GSDMD, GSDMD-C, ASC, IL-1β and IL-18) in TCs was analyzed by western blot assay. C The expression of fibronectin and β-catenin in TCs was assessed by qRT-PCR. D The expression of fibrosis factors (collagen I, P-SMAD3, α-SMA, TGF-β) in TCs was analyzed by western blot assay. E Exercise-induced irisin improves follicular dysfunction by inhibiting the IRE1α-TXNIP/ROS-NLRP3 pathway in the PCOS signaling pathway. Data are shown as the mean ± SD. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01. Ctrl, control; DHT, dihydrotestosterone; ASC, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD; GSDMD, gasdermin D; GSDMD-C, C-terminal fragment of gasdermin D; IL-1β, interleukin-1β; IL-18, interleukin-18; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; α-SMA, a-smooth muscle actin; TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta; ERS, endoplasmic reticulum stress; ROS, reactive oxygen species; IRE1α, inositol-requiring enzyme 1α; TXNIP, thioredoxin-interacting protein; NLRP3, NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3