Levels of IL-6 in serum in mice inoculated with 4 × 106 CFU of strain 8325-4 (rsbU mutant), SH1000 (rsbU+), or MJH502 (sigB mutant). Data from two experiments are pooled (n = 20, 18, and 19, respectively). Data are medians and IQRs for each group of mice. Comparisons with SH1000 were made by using the Mann-Whitney U test.