Figure 6. Cytokine secretion in human lung tissue and murine macrophages after challenge with nigericin, KCl, glibenclamide and NAC.

A. Human lung tissue was stimulated either with nigericin 10 µM alone or together with NTHi 10⁶ cfu/ml. Sole challenge with nigericin did not lead to elevated IL-1β levels, whereas the addition of nigericin to NTHi primed macrophages enhanced the cytokine secretion; (n.s. = not significant). B. RAW cells were pretreated for 30 minutes with KCl 30 mM or glibenclamide 250 µM and then stimulated with NTHi 10⁶ cfu/ml. IL-1β concentrations decreased significantly in both settings. C. RAW cells were preincubated with NAC 20 mM for 60minutes prior to stimulation with NTHi 10⁵ cfu/ml. IL-1β levels were reduced significantly in comparison to the control.