FIGURE 5.

Clearance of p16‐Expressing Cells Prior to Infection Impairs the Protective Function of Immunological Memory Upon Pathogen Re‐encounter. Mice were treated with ganciclovir or PBS and subsequently infected with x31 flu at 30 DPI, mice were rechallenged with PR8 (a). At 7 days following rechallenge, viral load was quantified in the lungs via RT‐qPCR (b). Data are presented as mean +/− standard error of the mean (SEM), and each symbol represents a single animal. Comparisons were analyzed using Student's t‐test with a significance level of *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. N = 4–5 per group (2 males in GCV group and 0 males in PBS group).