Role for CD14 in mediating CMV-induced cytokine expression.
TLR4 (A) and TIRAP (C) mRNA elevations at 6 hours of HCMV co-incubation were suppressed in the CD14 antisense-treated THP-1 cells, but little effect was seen on TRAM (D) and MD2 (B). However, IL-8 (F) and IFN-β (H) were abolished by the CD14 antisense whereas IL-6 (E) and TRIF (G) were unaffected, suggesting that CD14 is the responsible receptor for inducing IL-8 and IFN-β transcription via the TLR4/TIRAP-dependent pathway and possibly the TLR9/MyD88-dependent pathway, respectively. (means±S.D. n = 4) (*p<0.05, **p<0.01 by Student T-test compared with control at 1 hour and 6 hours) open squares = missense, closed squares = CD14 antisense. ELISA analysis showed that the CD14 blockade reduced the in vitro production of IL-6 (I), IL-8 (J) and sCD14 (K). Western blot for CD14 confirmed sequence-specific effect of the antisense (L). (n = 3). All data are means of experiments performed in triplicate except where noted.