FIG 7.

Efferocytosis leads Mϕ1 cells to induce Th2 responses to M. leprae antigens in vitro. (A) Mϕ1 cells were stimulated with irradiated M. leprae at 10 μg/ml for 24 h in the presence or absence of apoptotic Jurkat cells (1:1). Cells were incubated with CD3⁺ T cells (TLϕ) (1 Mϕ1 cell to 10 TLϕ cells) for 48 h, and cell supernatants were harvested for cytokine analysis. (B, C, and D) IFN-γ (B), IL-13 (C), and IL-4 (D) concentrations in cell supernatants were determined by ELISA. Experiments were performed at least three times in triplicate, and data are presented as means ± SD. *, P < 0.05 in relation to M. leprae-stimulated cells.