Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of ARF-deficient macrophages

Macrophages are a major cellular component of all inflammatory situations, generating proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-1, and IL-6 that are central to the initiation and maintenance of inflammation. To determine whether the tumor suppressor ARF plays a role in inflammatory gene expression, we used an 84-gene RT2 PCR array to examine the expression of inflammation-associated genes in WT and ARF-deficient macrophages treated with the TLR4 ligand LPS. Peritoneal macrophages from WT and ARF-deficient mice were obtained and treated with LPS (200ng/ml) for 4 hours. WT control (without stimulation n=4), WT LPS (n=4), ARF Control (n=4), ARF LPS (n=4)