FIGURE 2.

Progesterone suppresses N. gonorrhoeae-induced cytokines secretion in murine models. 50 μl of vaginal mucus was continuously collected from test and control mice for 10–12 days, and detection of IL-1β (A), TNF-α (B), and IL-6 (C) levels were carried out using commercially available LEGEND plex^TM Multi-Analyte Flow Assay Kits. The IL-1β (D) and IL-18 (E) levels from the vaginal secretions of N. gonorrhoeae infected mice on fifth day after inoculation. All data are representative of at least three independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Data are presented as the mean ± SD, n = 5. Ovx^–, ovariectomy; P4, progesterone.