FIG 8.

P. carinii β-1,6 glucan immobilized on 10-μm beads stimulates macrophage TNF-α protein production, which is suppressed by inhibition of glycosphingolipid synthesis. RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages were stimulated with bead-immobilized P. carinii β-1,6 glucan overnight, and macrophage TNF-α protein production was measured by ELISA in the presence or absence of the glycosphingolipid inhibitor PDMP. PDMP significantly suppressed generation of the chemokine in a dose-dependent manner (*, P < 0.05 compared with the control). The data are expressed as means and SEM derived from multiple experimental runs.