Figure 3
Immunosuppressive function of estradiol via PGE2induction. (a and b) PBMCs from BLV-uninfected or BLV-infected cattle
were cultured with estradiol in the presence of anti-CD3 mAb and
anti-CD28 mAb or FLK-BLV, respectively (a: BLV-uninfected cattle,n = 6, b: BLV-infected cattle, n = 6). DMSO was used as a
vehicle control of estradiol. IFN-γ concentrations in culture
supernatants were quantitated by ELISA. (c and d) PBMCs from
BLV-uninfected cattle were cultivated with estradiol, and COX2expression (c, n = 8) and PGE2 concentration (d,n = 7) were measured by real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively.
(e) PBMCs from BLV-uninfected cattle (n = 10) were pretreated
with each EP antagonist for one hour, and then cultured with estradiol
in the presence of anti-CD3 mAb and anti-CD28 mAb. IFN-γ production in
culture supernatant was determined by ELISA. (a–d) Statistical
significances were determined by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. (e) Data
are presented as mean ± SD, and statistical significance was determined
by the Steel-Dwass test.