Fig. 1.

PSA signals through the TLR2/TLR1 heterodimer. (A) Western blot analysis of protein (50 μg) extracted from BMDMs at different time points after PSA stimulation. Degradation of IκBα was detected with anti-IκBα. Antiactin was used as a loading control. Relative density (r.d.) was measured with ImageJ software. (B) IL-10 liberation from WT CD4⁺ T cells cocultured with WT, Tlr1^−/−, Tlr2^−/−, or Tlr6^−/− PDCs and incubated for 5 d in the presence of anti-CD3. Cocultures were either treated or not treated with PSA (50 μg/mL). IL-10 levels in supernatants were measured by ELISA normalized by subtracting the medium control. Error bars indicate SD values. Scores were assessed for statistical significance by t test. *P < 0.05; ns, not significant. These data are representative of 2 independent experiments. (C) Daily EAE clinical disease scores of female C57BL/6J mice after induction with the MOG 35−55 peptide. Mice were treated with PBS or 50 μg of purified PSA. Depicted are the combined results of 2 independent experiments where average disease scores were plotted.