SMOX and cystic fibrosis: Therefore, the decreased secretion of a given cytokine, following P.a infection, should probably only be characterized as a consequence of tolerance if two conditions are fulfilled: firstly with an increase in basal (i.e in the absence of P.a infection) cytokine RNA and protein levels in CF, compared to HC PBMCs, and secondly a reduced PAO1-driven induction of cytokine RNA, with or without a similar decrease at the protein level.