Fig. 2

Introduction of IL-6 dramatically induced proliferation and activated JAK2/STAT3/Sox4/NLRP3 pathway in OSCC cells. IL-6R expression was credited through RT-qPCR (A) and Western blot (B) in oral epithelial cells (HOEC) and OSCC cell lines (SCC-4, SCC-9, SCC-15, SCC-25, Cal27 and Tca83). SCC-15 and SCC-25 cells were induced by 0, 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 ng/mL IL-6, and cell proliferation was monitored by applying (C) CCK-8, (D) EdU staining and (E) colony formation. (F) Western blot was conducted to identify the impacts of IL-6 on pJAK2, JAK2, pSTAT3, STAT3, ASC, pro-IL-1β, IL-1β, pro-IL-18, IL-18, and NLRP3 in OSCC cells. ** P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001