Fig. 4. Cadmium exposure has little impact on early cytokines produced upon T cell activation. Splenocytes from the control (Ctrl) or cadmium-exposed rats were left untreated (Bkg) or activated with plate bound αCD3 and soluble αCD28 and cultured for (A–D) 24 h or (E) and (F) 6 h prior to collection and analysis. (A–D) Supernatants were collected 24 h after activation and analyzed for (A) IL-2, (B) IFNγ, (C) IL-10 and (D) IL-17a protein expression by ELISA (IL-17a, IL-2, IL-10) or multiplex suspension assay (IFNγ). (E) and (F) Total RNA was isolated and mRNA expressions of (E) IFNγ and (F) IL-2 were quantified by quantitative RT-PCR. Data are presented as mean ± SE. * indicates P < 0.05 between Bkg and activated splenocytes for the same rat in vivo exposure group.