TABLE 4.
Ability of cell-associated extract of E. faecalis AS+ EBS+ organisms to induce cytokine release from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as measured by ELISA
| Test material | TNF-α (pg/ml) | TNF-β (pg/ml) | Gamma interferon (pg/ml) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negative control | 25 | 16 | 8 |
| TSST-1 (1 μg) | >1,000a | 800 | >1,000a |
| AS+ EBS+ (1:10 dilution) | 5,000b | 625 | 5,500b |
a
TSST-1 stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was used as the positive control. Undiluted human cell culture fluids were tested for these cytokines, and the amounts exceeded the upper detection limit (1,000 pg/ml) of the ELISA.
b
Lymphocyte culture fluids were diluted 1:10 prior to assays of these cytokines for more precise measurements of cytokine levels; only undiluted positive control culture fluids were tested. Thus, data for these cytokines were multiplied by the dilution factor of 10.