Figure 1 Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection activates the NLRP3 inflammasome. Lung epithelial cells were infected with 5 multiplicity of infection (moi) of RSV or ECMV, or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) or HSV1 viruses. Supernatant was collected at 12 h postinfection and analysed for IL1β and IL6 using the CBA bead array system on a FACSCalibur (Becton Dickinson) (A). NLRP3 expression was knocked down by psiRNA and the cells were again infected with 5moi of RSV or ECMV, or VSV or HSV1 viruses. Supernatant was collected at 12 h postinfection, and analysed for IL1β and IL6 using the CBA system (B) Cells extracts from infected lung epithelial cells were analysed for the presence of pro-IL1β by western blotting and loading controls for β-actin are also depicted (C). The data represent the mean ±SD, of three independent experiments.