About the Authors

Sam D. Sanderson

Affiliation School of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America

Marilyn L. Thoman

Affiliations Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, San Diego, California, United States of America, Biosciences Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America

Kornelia Kis

Affiliation Biosciences Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America

Elizabeth L. Virts

Affiliations Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, San Diego, California, United States of America, Biosciences Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America

Edgar B. Herrera

Affiliation Biosciences Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America

Stephanie Widmann

Affiliation BD Biosciences, San Diego, California, United States of America

Homero Sepulveda

Affiliation BD Biosciences, San Diego, California, United States of America

Joy A. Phillips

jphillips@sciences.sdsu.edu

Affiliations Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, San Diego, California, United States of America, Biosciences Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America

Competing Interests

Authors SS, MLT, and JP are inventors on a pending patent application, entitled “Analogs of C5a and Methods of Using the Same,” (serial number PCT/US11/42344, submitted June 23, 2011), involving the means of stimulation used in this manuscript. Authors HS and SW are employed by BD Biosciences. The stated competing interests do not alter the authors’ adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: JP SS SW HS EV. Performed the experiments: JP MT EH KK SS SW EV. Analyzed the data: JP EH SW KK EV. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: JP MT SS HS. Wrote the paper: JP SS.