FIG 6.

Synergistic effects of C. pneumoniae with CNTs on IL-18 secretion from macrophages. (A) IL-18 secretion was significantly increased by costimulation of C. pneumoniae with CNTs after incubation compared to that of either CNTs or C. pneumoniae alone. The data are shown as averages ± standard deviations. *, statistically significant difference (P < 0.05, Student's t test; n = 3). NS, not significant; Cpn, C. pneumoniae. (B) Dose and time course experiments reveal that the synergistic increase of IL-18 secretion occurred in a time-dependent manner for the incubation. (C) Dose-dependent inhibition of IL-18 secretion from macrophages by the treatment with Z-WHED-FMK. ND, not detected (described above).