Figure 1. Challenge of human corneal epithelial cells with Pseudomonas aeruginosa induced differential changes in relative levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and complement proteins mRNA compared to lipopolysaccharide or unchallenged control. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) were challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for up to 3 h and subsequently cultured for up to 15 h. Data are presented as mean and standard deviation based on three independent experiments. A: Relative levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA (mRNA) in HCEC normalized to housekeeping gene glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, p<0.0001 (“***”) for the comparison of 18 h versus control and versus 1 h; one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni's Multiple Comparison Test). B: Relative levels of complement proteins mRNA in HCEC normalized to housekeeping genes GAPDH, beta glucuronidase and phosphoglycerate kinase 1.