Inhibition of platelet-monocyte complex formation and complement deposition. (A) Blocking of Stx2 and/or O157LPS binding by preincubation of whole blood with anti-Gb3 and/or anti-TLR4 before incubation with Stx2 and/or O157LPS reduced platelet-monocyte complex formation significantly. C3 (B) and C9 (C) deposition on the blood-cell complexes was similarly reduced by anti-Gb3 and anti-TLR4 in these experiments. Data are expressed as box-plots depicting median and range (n = 4 experiments). Complex formation and C3 or C9 deposition on complexes in whole blood incubated with an agonist were compared with that in whole blood preincubated with anti-Gb3 and/or anti-TLR4 before the addition of the agonist. *P < .05.