Figure 7.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) trigger cytokine production in part via TLR8-IRF5 signaling, while Escherichia coli induces cytokines independently of TLR8, yet partly dependent on IRF5. Monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) were transfected with siRNA against TLR7, TLR8, IRF5, and STING, as indicated. Following successful silencing the cells were stimulated with pU/pLA or infected with viable GBS wt (MOI 1.0) or E. coli (MOI 2.0). Cytokine induction relative to non-stimulated cells after 4 h of infection was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Significance of gene silencing was tested in relation to non-targeting control (NTC). n = 5.