Fig. 1

Temporal correlation between IL-18 protein expression and the presence of Th cells and macrophages during normal and impaired wound repair. Total protein (50 µg) from lysates of nonwounded and wounded back skin (days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 13 after injury, indicated at the top of each lane) of Balb/c mice (A, indicated as wt), or db/db mice (B, indicated as db) were analyzed by immunoblotting for the presence of CD4 (upper panels), F4/80 antigen (middle panels), or IL-18 protein (lower panels), respectively. Four wounds (n = 4) from the backs of four animals were excised for each experimental time point and used for protein isolation. CD4, F4/80, or IL-18 protein is indicated by an arrow. As the anti CD4-antibody unspecifically detects a major band of approximately 90 kDa in wound lysates, we have used total protein from lysates of human PBMC as a positive control for CD4 protein detection by this antibody (A, PBMC lane). Recombinant human pro-[rhIL-18(pro)] and mature [rhIL-18(mature)] IL-18 was used as a positive control for the anti-IL-18 antibody. One representative immunoblot is shown for each condition.