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. 2009 Jul;1(4):211–222. doi: 10.1002/emmm.200900025

Figure 5. Pneumolysin-deficient pneumococci induce the inflammasome-associated cytokine IL-1β.

Figure 5

  1. Pneumolysin-deficient pneumococci activated caspase-1 at 6 h post-infection, albeit at non-significant levels. Data represent the mean + SE (n = 3). At least 5000 events per treatment were counted.
  2. In the absence of pneumolysin expression an increase in pro-IL-1β could be detected by Western blotting. Data is representative of three independent human DC preparations.
  3. Pneumolysin-deficient pneumococci enhanced secreted levels of mature IL-1β as early as 6 h post-infection and addition of the caspase-1 inhibitor Z-YVAD-FMK inhibited this secretion. Data represent the mean + SE (n = 3). A single asterisk (*) shows significant increases compared to T4R and a double asterisk (**) indicates significant decreases compared to values obtained without the inhibitor.