Figure 2

Cp increases cytokines production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation. (A) Expression of IL-6 cytokine mRNA assessed by quantitative-PCR in microglial cells after 24 hours of treatment with medium alone (Ctrl), LPS (10 ng/ml), ceruloplasmin (Cp), and BSA alone (20 μg/ml) or in combined treatment with LPS. Results are expressed as mRNA fold change expression levels relative to expression value obtained for LPS stimulus. (B) Expression of MIP-1Α chemokine mRNA assessed by quantitative PCR in microglial cells as in (A). Results are expressed as mRNA fold change expression levels relative to expression value obtained for LPS stimulus. (C) Secretion of IL-6 cytokine was evaluated by ELISA test in the culture medium of microglial cells after treatments as in (A). Results are reported as picograms of protein per milliliter of medium. Three independent experiments (n = 3) were performed and mean values, calculated using pooled data from different experiments, with standard error are reported. Statistical P-values were evaluated by non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. In all analyses, P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.