Curcumin nanoparticles mitigate early inflammation in severe acute pancreatitis by modulating peritoneal macrophage polarization via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation

Figure 6 Curcumin nanoparticles regulate macrophage polarization via nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway in vitro, thereby alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress. A: Flow cytometric analysis of cluster of differentiation 86 (CD86) and CD163, specific proteins for peritoneal macrophages, showing co-expression of CD68 and CD45 in both M1 and M2 macrophages; B: Quantitative results of CD86 and CD163 positive cell counts; C: The ratio of M1/M2 positive cells; D: Representative immunoblots of CD86 and CD163 proteins with corresponding quantitative grayscale analysis; E: Expression and immunofluorescence localization of CD86 (green) and CD163 (red) proteins, with nuclei stained by DAPI (blue); F: Quantitative fluorescence ratio analysis of CD86 and CD163; G: The expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and CD163 mRNA, with the internal reference gene GAPDH normalized; H: Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β; I: Oxidative stress indicators: Malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase levels. The data were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 6 rats in each group). ^aP < 0.05 vs sham, ^bP < 0.05 vs severe acute pancreatitis. Cur-NPs: Curcumin nanoparticles; SAP: Severe acute pancreatitis; iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase; HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1; Nrf2: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; TBHQ: Tert-butylhydroquinone; SAP-AF: Severe acute pancreatitis ascitic.