Immunoblot analysis were performed as previously described [19 (link)]. Anti-Casp1 p10, anti-IL-18, anti-desmin (all three from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA), anti-IL-1β (Abcam, Cambridge, MA, USA), and anti-alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA; GeneTex, Irvine, CA, USA) antibodies were used in combination with appropriate peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies. Protein load was verified with an α-tubulin antibody (dilution 1:10,000) (Hybridomabank, University of Iowa) (kindly provided by M. Kaulich). Bands were visualized with the enhanced chemiluminescence reagent and digitized using a CCD camera (ChemiDoc®, Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA). Expression intensity was quantified by ImageLab (Bio-Rad).