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Figure 7
Effect of MAPK phosphorylation and cytokine release from alveolar macrophages treated with AflkhA-null conidia. MH-S cells were simulated with 10-fold of WT and ΔAflkhA conidia and then incubated for the indicated time points. (A) Phosphorylation of ERK and p38 after stimulation of MH-S cells with conidia was analyzed by western blotting. The level of phosphorylation was quantified after normalization to the levels of total ERK (B) or p38 (C) using ImageJ software. *P < 0.05. ns, not significant. (D) Release of TNF-α. MH-S cells were challenged with 10-fold WT and ΔAflkhA conidia. The release of TNF-α was measured by ELISA 6 hrs after infection. ***P < 0.001. (E) Virulence of A. fumigatus ΔAflkhA in T cell-deficient zebrafish larvae (foxn1 morphant). Conidia diluted in fluorescence dye were injected at 3 dpf (0 dpi). Survival was monitored at > 8 dpi. Ctr represents the control. Data are mean values.