Fig. 6

Exopolysaccharide induces IFN-β expression in macrophages to resistance to IBV infection. a IFN-β levels in the monocytes/macrophages supernatant from PBMC of ABX chickens (n = 6), treated with 50 mg/mL EPS complex and CTRL in vitro. b Fold change of IFN-β and ISG expression in PBMC of ABX chickens (n = 6), treated with 50 mg/mL EPS following IBV infection relative to respective mock controls. c IBV loads of macrophages from PBMC of ABX chickens (n = 6), treated with 50 mg/mL EPS complex. d IFN-β levels in the monocytes/macrophages supernatant from PBMC of ABX chicken (n = 6) injected with IFNAR antibody. e IFN-β levels in the serum of ABX chicken (n = 6) gavaged with EPS orally starting 7 days prior to and continuing to the day of infection with IBV. f Viral loads of peripheral blood of ABX chicken (n = 6) gavaged with EPS orally starting 7 days prior to and continuing to the day of infection with IBV. Data are from three independent experiments. Biological replicates for each sample are three. P values were determined using a one-way analysis of variance; ns, not significant; **P < 0.01