Fig. 9
Ac-YVAD-cmk inhibited pyroptosis and prevented NHO development in rats. a Schematic and micro-CT images (scale bars, 5 mm) and H&E staining images (scale bars, 100 μm) of heterotopic calcification in the Achilles tendon 3 weeks after surgery. b–d Quantification of BV (b), BMD (c) and Tb.Th (d) HO formation based on the micro-CT images in (a). e Representative confocal images of Achilles tendons stained with α-SMA (green), N-GSDMD (red) and DAPI (blue) in the rat tendons 3 days after surgery. Scale bars, 100 μm. f, g Quantitative analysis of the percentage of N-GSDMD+ cells relative to total cells and the relative fluorescence intensity of N-GSDMD. The data are presented as the means ± standard deviations (n = 3). Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey’s test. ns, no significance. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001
