Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels were determined in peritoneal fluid (PF) and serum (SR) obtained 24 hours after surgery from WT mice subjected to sham operation (n = 9), WT mice subjected to CLP (n = 14), WT mice subjected to CLP but treated with HB-EGF (n = 10), HB-EGF KO mice subjected to sham operation (n = 9), HB-EGF KO mice subjected to CLP (n = 16), and HB-EGF KO mice subjected to CLP but treated with HB-EGF (n = 6). Data are expressed as mean values ± SD.