TLRs 2 and 9 cooperate in generation of the Th17 response following repeated SR exposures.

<p>WT, TLR2^-/-, TLR9^-/-, and TLR2/9^-/- mice were exposed to SR 3 times / week for 3 weeks and analyzed 4 days after the last exposure. Lung cells were stimulated with SR lysate or media alone for 6 hrs and intracellular cytokine staining performed to measure expression of IL-17A and IL-10 by CD4⁺/βTcR⁺ cells. Representative dot plots are shown (n = 3; repeated 2 times) Mean ± SD of CD4⁺/IL-17A⁺ WT unexposed = 0 ± 0%; CD4⁺/IL-17A⁺ WT exposed = 6.7 ± 2.2%; CD4⁺/IL-17A⁺ TLR2^-/- exposed = 4.8 ± 0.8%; CD4⁺/IL-17A⁺ TLR9^-/- exposed = 5.4 ± 1.0%; CD4⁺/IL-17A⁺ TLR2/9^-/- exposed = *2.5 ± 1.4%. Significance was determined using one-way ANOVA (*<i>p</i> < 0.05 compared to WT SR exposed mice).