Figure 4

P38 MAP Kinase activation is required for IL-17 enhancement of eosinophil derived pro-fibrotic cytokines. Eosinophils were isolated from peripheral blood of 10 asthmatic patients and 2×10⁶/ml cells were treated, or not, with p38 MAPK or PI3K inhibitors (SB2035802 and PI103, respectively) 2 hours prior to stimulation with IL-17 (50 ng/ml). Levels of TGF-β (A) and IL-11 (B) in the supernatant of stimulated eosinophils were then determined 24 hrs following Th17 cytokine stimulation using ELISA assay (n = 10). (C) Induction of p38 MAPK phosphorylation by a combination of IL-17A and IL-17 F (50 ng/ml each) is detected by western analysis. The western data shown represent one of similar results from 4 independent experiments. * = p < 0.05 compared to non-stimulated (NS). ** = p < 0.05 compared to stimulated not inhibited.