Figure 3.

IL-1beta production and MMP-9 enzyme activity (in cell supernatants) in human adherent monocytes unfed or fed with HZ, delipidized HZ or beta-haematin. Human adherent monocytes were unfed or fed with HZ, delipidized HZ (D-HZ) and beta-haematin. Panel A: IL-1beta production. After 3 h phagocytosis and a further incubation during 48 h, IL1-beta levels were measured by ELISA in cell supernatants. Data are given as ng IL-1beta/ml supernatant (mean values ± SD of four independent experiments). Data were analysed for significance by Student's t-test and differences between delipidized HZ or beta-haematin against unfed controls were not significant. Panel B: Gelatin zymography and densitometric quantification of MMP-9 enzyme activity. After 3 h phagocytosis and a further incubation during 48 h, cell supernatants were separated by PAGE and MMP-9 enzyme activity measured by gelatin zymography and densitometric quantification (see legend to Figure 2 for details). The 83-kDa negative band in the gel corresponds to MMP-9 enzyme activity. Data are given as arbitrary densitometric units (mean values ± SD of four independent experiments). Data (Panel A, panel B) were analysed for significance by Student's t-test. Significance of differences (column/lane numbers). HZ-fed(2) vs unfed(1)/D-HZ-(3)/beta-haematin(4)-fed monocytes, p < 0.01; unfed(1) vs D-HZ(2)/beta-haematin(4)-fed monocytes, n.s.