Figure 6.

Effects of chitin on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced cytokine production by T cells ex vivo. Cocultures were prepared that contained CD4⁺ T cells from wild-type (WT) mice (A and B) immunized with OVA complexed to chitin (OVA+Chitin T cells) or alum (OVA+ Alum T cells) and OVA (50 μg/ml; OVA+) or vehicle control–stimulated (OVA−) bone marrow–derived dendritic cells. Supernatants were collected after incubation for 3 days. CD4⁺ T cells from OVA/chitin-stimulated TLR-2 sufficient (+/+) and deficient (−/−) mice (C and D) were also used. The levels of IL-5 (A and C) and IL-13 (B and D) were measured by Bioplex ELISA. Results are presented as the mean ± SEM of a minimum of six mice per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.