KITLG and infection: We examined c-KIT phosphorylation in THP1 cells using Western blots, in response to infection with both Y. enterocolitica virulent (pYV+) and attenuated (pYV-) strains (Figure 6) c-KIT exhibited maximal phosphorylation at ~45 min post-infection in both Y. enterocolitica strains (Figure 6B and C), compared to SCF-induced phosphorylation, which peaked at 5 min (Figure 6A), demonstrating that Yersinia LPS or other surface molecule can trigger c-KIT signaling, albeit at a delayed rate.