FIGURE 3.
Complement (C5)- and TLR (CD14 and TLR4/MD2)-induced EC activation is mediated by TNF and IL-1β. Monolayers of EC were incubated with whole blood and the TNF-blocking Ab infliximab, the IL-1β–blocking Ab canakinumab, a combination of these, or control Ab (rituximab) prior to the addition of 105 bacteria/ml E. coli (A and B) or 107 bacteria/ml S. aureus (C and D). E-selectin expression (A and C) and ICAM-1 expression (B and D) data are presented as in Fig. 2 with n = 6 donors. ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001 as compared with bacterial incubation without inhibitors.