Whole blood samples from 21 healthy donors were collected into PAXGENE RNA tubes and stored at 280uC until use. Total RNAs were extracted using a PAXGENE Blood RNA Isolation Kit (PreAnalytiX) and reverse transcribed to cDNA using QuantiTect Reverse Transcription Kit (catalog number: 205311; Qiagen). Real-time quantitative PCR was carried out using an ABI PRISMH 7500 HT Sequence Detection System (Applied Biosystems) according to manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, 2 ml of the cDNA were loaded in a PCR reaction containing 12.5 ml of 26 QuantiTect SYBR Green PCR Master Mix with an appropriate concentration of MgCl 2 , 2.5 ml of primers (Hs_CLE-C7A_1_SG QuantiTect Primer Assay, catalog number: QT00024059; Geneglobe, Qiagen) and 8 ml of RNase-free water. PCR cycling conditions were as follows: 95uC for 15 minutes, followed by 40 cycles of denaturation at 95uC for 15 seconds combined with annealing at 60uC for 30 seconds and extension at 72uC for 30 seconds. All samples were run in duplicate. Relative quantification of Dectin-1 mRNA expression was calculated with the 2 2DDCt method. We obtained the fold changes in gene expression normalized to an internal control gene (GAPDH, Hs_GAPDH_2_SG QuantiTect Primer Assay, Catalog number: QT01192646; Qiagen) and relative to one calibrator (First- 