FIG. 2.

VEGF secretion by neutrophils following incubation with different stimuli at 37°C for 4 h. Live pneumococci were tested at 10⁹ CFU ml⁻¹. Polysaccharide capsule and pneumococcal cell wall were tested at a cell equivalent of 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹. Incubation with cytochalasin B (10 μg ml⁻¹) for 30 min followed by fMLP (10 μM) for 30 min served as a positive control; medium alone served as negative control. Data are percentages of the positive control (means ± SD [error bars]) and represent two independent experiments with blood from different donors and ELISA performed in duplicate.