Fig 1: Effect of IL-22BP on IL-22-induced production of proinflammatory mediators and cell viability. (A) Cell viability was assessed in Huh-7 cells using the WST-1 assay 6 hours after stimulation with IL-22 with or without IL-22BP at the indicated concentrations. (B) Induction of TNF-a mRNA in Huh-7.5 cells treated for 6 hours with the indicated concentrations of IL-22. TNF-a mRNA levels were quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and expressed relative to GAPDH (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase). (C) Huh-7 cells and HepG2 cells were stimulated with IL-22 with or without IL-22BP at the indicated concentrations for 6 hours. mRNA levels of LBP were quantified by quantitative PCR and expressed relative to GAPDH. (D) Quantification of LBP protein levels in HepG2 cells stimulated with IL-22 for the indicated time points. (E) IL-22BP abolishes IL-22-mediated LBP protein production in HepG2 cells and primary human hepatocytes. Cells were stimulated with 5 ng/mL of IL-22 and ascending concentrations of IL-22BP for 24 hours. Protein levels were analyzed by immunoblotting using ß-actin as a control.