Fig. 2

TPL induced pyroptosis in head and neck cancer cells is executed by GSDME. a The mRNA levels of gasdermin members were determined by RT-PCR assays. b The protein levels of GSDME were measured by western blot assays. c The Protein levels of full-length GSDME and GSDME-N terminus in cells treated without or with TPL (50 nM) for 24 h were measured by western blot assays. d GSDME proteins localization in cells treated without or with TPL (50 nM) for 24 h were visualized by immunofluorescence assays. e The mRNA or protein levels of GSDME in shRNAs expressing lentivirus infected cells were measured by qPCR or western blot. f Morphological features of cells treated with TPL showed reduced pyroptotic cell death in GSDME-silenced cells. Cells were treated with TPL (50 nM) for 24 h. g Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. h Cell survival was measured by colony formation assay. Cells were treated with TPL (10 nM) for 24 h. i LDH1 activity assays. j IL-1β released into culture medium was detected by ELISA assays. Values are shown as mean ± SD from triplicate experiments. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001