Figure 2.

The role of phagocytosis and intracellular sensor, NOD proteins on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in HEK cells infected with M. leprae. HEK cells were transfected with NOD1 or NOD2 for 8 hours with viable M. leprae at 10.0 MOI in absence or presence of cytochalasin D (cyto D). The cell extracts were used for measuring NF-κB activation (A). The total RNA was isolated and the relative mRNA levels for IL-1β (B) and TnF-α (C) were measured by real-time PCR. Data are representative of at least three independent experiments, each performed in triplicate. ^*p<0.05, ^**p<0.01 vs. non-treatment with cytochalasin D.