Figure 4.

TLR2, TLR4, and C5aR are involved in bacteria–induced profibrotic and inflammatory responses of peritoneal leukocytes from uremic patients on PD. Levels of profibrotic and inflammatory cytokines released by PDE–isolated uremic leukocytes cultured overnight with or without heat–killed S. epidermidis (10⁷ CFU/ml) or E. coli (10⁶ CFU/ml) in the presence of the indicated blocking mAbs or isotype-matched control (5 μg/ml). To maintain the uremic milieu throughout the experiments, the culture medium was supplemented with the patients’ own PDE (1/2 dilution). The uremic status of the patients was confirmed by urea and creatinine measurements in the blood and PDE (table). Results are the mean (±SD) of triplicates after background subtraction (cells cultured in the absence of bacteria but in the presence of the blocking mAbs or isotype control, typically IL-8<1 ng/ml, IL-6<100 pg/ml, IL-13<25 pg/ml, and TGF-β<10 pg/ml). Specific mAb versus isotype control; t test. *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001.