Fig 7.

SEVI potentiates bacterially induced cytokine release from human macrophages. S. aureus, E. coli, or N. gonorrhoeae cells were mixed with the monomeric PAP_248-286 peptide (monomer), SEVIala fibrils (SEVIala), SEVI fibrils (SEVI), or PBS alone and then incubated with MDM. As controls, cells were incubated in the presence or absence of the PAP_248-286 monomer, SEVIala, or SEVI alone, without bacteria (lanes labeled “no bacteria”). MDM were stimulated for 1 h and then washed thoroughly and incubated for an additional 6 h, after which cytokine levels in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. Results are shown for TNF-α (A), IL-6 (B), and IL-1β (C). Error bars represent the SEM from three independent experiments performed with MDM from different donors in each case. Data were analyzed with an exact Wilcoxon rank sum test.