FIGURE 2.

Macrophages stimulated with TLQP-21 evoke mechanical hypersensitivity in rats. A, scrambled TLQP-21 does not cause an increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ levels in macrophages (p = 0.995, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's test), whereas the percentage of cells responding to TLQP-21 was significantly increased (*, p < 0.001; n.s., not significant) compared with both vehicle and scrambled TLQP-21, n = 4 (78–154 cells for vehicle, 118–170 cells for scrambled TLQP-21, and 111–216 cells for TLQP-21 were analyzed). B, macrophages treated with TLQP-21 (gray circles) or ScrTLQP-21 (black circles) for 24 h were injected intraplantarly into rats. Injection of macrophages stimulated with TLQP-21 caused reduction of paw withdrawal thresholds at 24 h (POD1; *, p < 0.01 versus base line (BL)) and 48 h (POD2; **, p < 0.05 versus base line) after injection (n = 9, mean ± S.E. (error bars)). Two-way ANOVA Tukey's test, four or five rats were used for each experiment). Injection of macrophages incubated with ScrTLQP-21, however, did not affect the paw withdrawal threshold (POD1; n.s., not significant, p = 0.67 versus base line). n = 9, mean ± S.E. Two-way ANOVA, Tukey's test. Four or five rats were used for each experiment.