Caspase-1 activation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) after exposure to Cr³⁺, Ni²⁺, and Co²⁺, with or without L-ascorbic acid (L-AA).

Cells were incubated under cell culture conditions with the indicated concentrations of ions in the presence or absence of L-AA (2 mM), an antioxidant, for 18 to 24h following a 6h priming incubation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 500 ng/mL). Culture supernatants were analyzed for the presence of caspase-1 (as indicated by the detection of its p20 subunit) by western blotting. The immunoblot presented is representative of three independent experiments.