FIG. 5.
Expression of cytokines in spore-infected macrophages. The murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 was infected with spores of Bacillus strain PY79 (A) or BiosubtylNT (B). The results are representative of three independent experiments. Specific mRNAs for β-actin (348 bp), IL-1α (308 bp), IL-6 (154 bp), and TNF-α (307 bp) were detected by RT-PCR with macrophage lysate samples taken at zero time and 1, 2, 5, 8, and 24 h after infection with spores. The results of a densitometric analysis of the gels for expression of IL-1α (○), IL-6 (▵), and TNF-α (□) compared to the expression of the housekeeping β-actin gene at each time is shown in panel A for PY79 and in panel B for BiosubtylNT.