Fig. 3.

Induction of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phophorylation by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in cells from tuberculosis (TB) patients and healthy contacts. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated or not with 3·0 mM ATP for 15 min, and then the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was analysed by Western blot, as stated in Materials and methods. Data from a representative TB patient are shown in (a), and the ratio of the densitometry values of phosphorylated/total protein are shown in (b). The MAP kinase (MEK1/2) inhibitor, PD098059, was employed as a negative control for ERK1/2 phosphorylation.