Figure 5

Levels of IFN-α secreted by PBMC from healthy (n = 9 to 12) or HCV-infected (n = 13 to 15) donors after 48 hr culture with recombinant IFN-α (rIFN-α, 125 IU/ml), ribavirin (RBV, 5 μM), rIFN-α plus ribavirin, C-Class CpG (6 μg/ml) or CpG plus rIFN-α. Horizontal black bars show group mean values, and numbers of subjects (n) in each group are indicated below the X-axis. The background level of IFN-α deemed to be contributed by the added rIFN-α alone, as measured in control B-cell line experiments (334 pg/ml), is shown by the hatched line.