Fig. 4

Aedes aegypti SGE differentially modulates inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production, as well as NF-κB expression, by M1-polarized murine macrophages. Thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages were collected and cultured as described in “Methods”. Cells were preincubated with complete medium (control group) or with SGE (final concentration: 40 µg/ml) for 1 h and then stimulated or not with LPS plus IFN-γ (final concentration: 10 ng/ml of each). Cell culture supernatants were collected after 6 h of culture for TNF-α (c) or after 48 h for IL-6 (a), IL-12 (b) and IL-10 (d) determinations by ELISA. Phosphorylated NF-κB (pNF-κB) expression was evaluated after 30 min in cell lysates by Western blot (e). The relative expression of pNF-κB was determined by densitometry and the results were presented as percentage in relation to the control group (considered as 100%) (f). Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05 versus control group (cells incubated with medium only); ^#P < 0.05 versus “LPS + IFN-γ” group