FIG 2 .

DCs challenged with pneumococci produce IL-12p70 independently of TLR4. DCs were treated with siRNA against TLR4 or random control siRNA. The cells were infected with T4R (A and B) or stimulated with LPS (C) or R848 (D) to confirm the knockdown. IL-12p70 secretion was measured in the cell culture supernatant by ELISA; each dot represents the results from one donor (A, C, and D). Fold changes in gene expression of IL-12p40 or TLR4 relative to control cells were measured using RT-PCR (B and E). Graphs show means ± standard errors of the means of results for 7 (A, C, and D), 3 (B), or 5 (E) experiments. Statistical analysis was performed using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test (for ELISAs) or Student’s t test (for RT-PCRs). *, P < 0.05. n.s., not significant.