Fig. 2: [Ca²⁺]_ex-induced IL-1β response of MDM is increased in obesity.

A Box plot shows absolute numbers of circulating monocytes in individuals who did not have obesity and in people with obesity as determined by differential blood count. Number of individuals and level of significance determined by Mann-Whitney U test as indicated. B Bar charts depict median and SEM of [Ca2+]ex-induced IL-1ß response of MDM generated from obese people with or without increased CRP value (inflammatory and non-inflammatory obese) and from individuals who did not have obesity. Levels of significance: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, determined by student’s paired t-test. Correlation between plasma levels of ionised Ca2+ and Ca2+-induced IL-1ß release in cohort of people with and without obesity (C) and Ca²⁺-induced IL-1ß release in patients (n = 21, 47.6% non-inflammatory and 52.6% inflammatory obesity) with ionised Ca²⁺ below and above 1.2 mM (D). Spearman’s rank correlation (C) and Mann–Whitney U test (D) were used.