FIG. 3.

Injection of PI and purified recombinant TPx induces the recruitment of alternatively activated macrophages into the peritoneum of BALB/c mice. (a) Macrophages recovered from the peritoneum of mice after an intraperitoneal delivery of PI or recombinant TPx exhibit increased expression of gene markers of alternative activation, including Fizz1 and Arg1, although Ym1 is not expressed as assessed by RT-PCR. The cells do not express iNOS, a marker of classically activated macrophages. (b and c) PI and TPx also induce the expression of Th2-associated cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β (b) but not the Th1 cytokines IL-12p40 and IL-18 (c). Agarose gels are representative of results obtained from four animals, and mean data obtained from densitometric analysis of all experiments are shown for IL-10 and TGF-β. Values for mRNA are expressed in relative absorbance units and are standardized per unit of β-actin per sample. ✽, P < 0.05 (for TPx compared to treatment with PBS).