22 μm filter (Corning). To evaluate heat sensitivity, some of the filter-sterilized pre-conditioned medium was incubated at 95°C for 10 min or, alternatively, 65°C for 30 min Alternatively, some of the filter-sterilized pre-conditioned LCZ696 mw medium (3 mL) was dialyzed four times against PBS pH 7.2 (500 mL), using dialysis tubing with 12,000-14,000 molecular mass cutoff (Spectrum Laboratories, Inc., Rancho learn more Dominguez, CA), each time for 6 h. Mammalian cell viability To evaluate the viability of RAW264.7, MH-S, or JAWSII cells, alterations in membrane permeability, as indicated by relative PI (1 μg/mL;

Invitrogen Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR) uptake, were measured using flow cytometry, as previously described [46]. Flow cytometry Analytical flow cytometry was carried out using a Beckman selleck compound Coulter EPICS XL-MCL™ flow cytometer equipped with a 70-μm nozzle, 488 nm line of an air-cooled argon-ion laser, and 400 mV output. The band pass filter used for detection of Alexa Fluor 488 spores was 525/10 nm. The long pass filter used for cell cycle phase determination assays and mammalian cell viability assays was

655 nm/LP. Cell analysis was standardized for side/forward scatter and fluorescence by using a suspension of fluorescent beads (Beckman Coulter Inc., Fullerton, CA). At least 10,000 events were detected for each experiment (>2000 events per min). Events were recorded on a log fluorescence scale and evaluated using FCS Express 3.00.0311 V Lite Standalone. Sample debris (as indicated by lower forward and side scatter and a lack of PI staining) represented a small fraction (1 to 2%) of the detected events and was excluded from analysis. Cell cycle assay To compare the cell-cycle profiles of RAW264.7 cells cultured in FBS-containing medium or FBS-free medium, relative PI uptake was measured using flow cytometry. At 4 or 24 h, as indicated, cells were incubated at room temperature with Cellstripper™ (Mediatech). After 15 min, the cells were further diluted

with PBS pH 7.2 containing 10% FBS (800 mL). The cell suspensions were centrifuged Immune system for 5 min at 500 × g at room temperature. The pellets were resuspended in 300 μL of PBS pH 7.2 at room temperature, fixed by adding anhydrous ethanol (100%, 700 μL prechilled to -20°C, Fisher Scientific) with continuous vortexing, and then further incubated for at least 2 h at -20°C. The cells were centrifuged for 5 min at 500 × g at room temperature, and the pellets were resuspended in 1 mL of PBS pH 7.2, and then incubated at room temperature for 30 min. The cells were centrifuged 5 min at 500 × g at room temperature. The cell pellets were resuspended in 300 μL PBS pH 7.2, 0.1% Triton X-100 (MP Biomedicals, Solon, OH), DNase-free RNase A (100 mg/mL; Sigma), and PI (10 μg/mL), and further incubated at room temperature for 60 min. The stained cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.