Figure 6: EPO enhances macrophages phagocytosis of zymA in vivo and in vitro.

(a) pHrodor-labelled zymA (i.p., 1 mg per mouse) was applied to induce acute peritonitis in male EPOR-MKO or EPOR-C mice and lavages were collected for analysis of macrophage phagocytosis of zymA by flow cytometry (n=3). (b,c) pHrodor-labelled zymA (i.p., 1 mg per mouse) together with rhEPO or PBS was given to EPOR-MKO (b) or WT (c) mice and lavages were collected for analysis of macrophage phagocytosis of zymA by flow cytometry (n=3). (d) pHrodor-labelled zymA (i.p., 1 mg per mouse) was applied to induce acute peritonitis in male WT or CGD mice and lavages were collected for analysis of macrophage phagocytosis of zymA by flow cytometry (n=3). (e) CGD mice were given rhEPO (i.p.) or PBS for 1 day before pHrodor-labelled zymA (i.p., 1 mg per mouse) and every 24 h thereafter and macrophage phagocytosis of zymA was analysed at indicated intervals (n=3). (f) Peritoneal macrophages from WT or EPOR-MKO mice were incubated with pHrodor-labelled zymA for 1 h and then analysed for phagocytosis by flow cytometry (n=3). (g,h) Peritoneal macrophages from WT (g) or EPOR-MKO (h) mice were pre-stimulated with rhEPO for 24 h and then analysed for phagocytosis of pHrodor-labelled zymA (n=3). (i,j) Peritoneal macrophages from WT (i) or CGD (j) mice were pre-stimulated with different concentrations of rhEPO for 24 h and then analysed for phagocytosis of pHrodor-labelled zymA (n=3). (k) CGD mice received rhEPO (i.p.) treatment for 1 day and their peritoneal macrophages were collected for analysis of phagocytosis of pHrodor-labelled zymA in vitro (n=3). Representative data from at least two independent experiments are shown. Error bars represent the s.e.m. *P<0.05, two-tailed unpaired Student’s t-test.