Pertussis Toxin Stimulates IL-17 Production in Response to Bordetella pertussis Infection in Mice
Figure 4
Effect of equalizing bacterial loads of WT and ΔPT on IL-17 expression.
(A, B) Bacterial loads in the respiratory tract of mice on the indicated days post-infection with (A) 5×104 CFU of WT (black bars) versus 5×105 CFU of ΔPT (open bars), or (B) 5×105 CFU of WT versus 5×106 CFU of ΔPT (compare to difference in bacterial loads when inoculum doses are equal in Fig. 1). (C–E) Fold increases in gene expression (relative to mock-infected mice) of the cytokines IL-17 (C, D) or IFN-γ (E) in lungs of mice on the indicated days post-infection with the lower doses (C) or higher doses (D, E) of WT (black bars) or ΔPT (open bars) strains. n = 4 mice/treatment group. *Significantly different from WT (P<0.05).