Figure 2.

SARS-CoV-2 primes the inflammasome in PBMCs, while co-culture of PBMCs with infected epithelial cells fully activates inflammasome-mediated IL-1β secretion

(A) Viral titer from PBMC supernatants.

(B) Viral N RNA expression in PBMC relative to ACTB.

(C) IL-1β release from PBMC supernatants following SARS-CoV-2 infection or stimulation.

(D) IL1B transcript expression relative to ACTB.

(E) Indicated transcript expression relative to ACTB after 4-h SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

(F) IL-1β in PBMC supernatants following SARS-CoV-2 exposure alone or in combination with indicated signal I or II stimuli.

(G) IL1B transcript expression relative to ACTB in PBMC at 4 HPI with SARS-CoV-2 ± Bay11-7082 (10 μM), chloroquine (10 μM), and C29 (25 μM).

(H) IL1B expression relative to ACTB following 3-h treatment with 1 μg/mL S, E, or Pam3-CSK4.

(I) IL-1β secretion from PBMCs following 3-h treatment described in (H) and subsequent ATP treatment (5 mM; 1 h).

(J) PCR-amplified detection of dsDNA in HAE supernatants ± SARS-CoV-2 (MOI 0.5) at 24 HPI.

(K and L) IL-1β in supernatants after infection in PBMCs, Vero-E6 cells, or co-culture of PBMCs with infected Vero-E6 cells (K) ± benzonase (20 units/mL) or H151 (10 μM) and (L) ± VX-765 (20 μg/mL) or MCC950 (5 μM). Data point color indicates specific PBMC donors and matched Vero-E6 values across conditions. Data points on graphs represent individual PBMC donors with bars or lines shown as mean ± SEM. ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01, ^∗∗∗p < 0.001, or ^∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001 as calculated by ordinary one-way (E, F, H, and I) or two-way (A, D, G, K, and L) ANOVA followed by Tukey’s (A, D, F, K, and L), Dunnet’s (E, H, and I), or Sidak’s (G) multiple comparison test.

See also Figure S2.