Fig. 8.

Cytokine release after 24 and 48 h stable co-culture without (Control) and with AP exposure to EDTA (2.5 mM) and LPS (10 ng mL^− 1) or EDTA, LPS, and IFN-γ (10 ng mL^− 1): After 24 h exposure, a clear increase in IL-8 occurred in the EDTA + LPS-exposed condition compared to the control. Also IL-1β and TNF-α were elevated, but remained at comparably low levels. In stable co-cultures exposed to EDTA, LPS, and IFN-γ the release of all three cytokines was markedly increased after 24 and 48 h of exposure, reaching similar levels as measured in the inflamed model co-culture. (mean ± s.d.; EDTA + LPS + IFN-γ: n = 1 of 1 performed with three technical replicates; *p ≤ 0.05 compared to corresponding 24 h control; ^#p ≤ 0.05 compared to corresponding 48 h control; unpaired two-sample t-test).