Fig. 1

AIP1 expression is markedly reduced after alkali burn injury. A Representative slit-lamp images of the area of corneal neovascularization at different times after alkali burn injury (magnification: × 40). B Corneal opacity, neovessel size, and vessel size scores increased gradually from the third day of alkali burn injury and continued thereafter (N = nine). C Immunofluorescence staining revealed an obvious decrease in the expression of AIP1 and a concomitant increase in the expression of VEGFa after alkali burn injury (scale bar: 50 μm, magnification: × 400). D Western blot analysis demonstrating significantly upregulated expression of NOX4, NLRP3, ASC, clv-casp-1 and clv-IL-1β and downregulated expression of AIP1 and NLRP6 in the cornea after alkali burn injury (N = three). The error bars represent the means ± SD, and comparisons were made using one-way ANOVA. clv-casp1, cleaved caspase-1; clv-IL-1β, cleaved-IL-1β. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001