Figure 5.

ORF8 is functionally distinct from LPS

(A) Representative flow data showing LPS activates multiple cytokine responses in all three monocyte subsets of PMBCs from all 15 healthy donors examined whereas ORF8 only activates CD14⁺ Monocytes but not CD14^low/CD16⁺⁺ non-classical monocytes (red boxed) suggesting LPS and ORF8 may target monocytes through different mechanisms.

(B) Intracellular cytokine flow cytometry data summary on 15 healthy donors on treatment with ORF8 or LPS, suggesting that ORF8 and LPS are different in cytokine induction specificities.

(C) Mouse B cells responded differently to the treatment of ORF8 and LPS as measured by IgM production and the morphological features of cell proliferation status. Scale bar: 100 μm. The dissimilar characteristics of ORF8 and LPS dismiss the possibility that the cytokine-inducing function of ORF8 resulted from the contamination of LPS.