FIG. 6.

Immunological effects of αGalCer on the antituberculous immune response. Mice infected intravenously with M. tuberculosis and treated with αGalCer or vehicle were sacrificed, and various immunological parameters were measured. (a and b) Intracellular production of IFN-γ by CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes following brief ex vivo stimulation with PMA and ionomycin at various times after infection. Solid line, stimulated with PMA and ionomycin; broken line, unstimulated control. (c and d) IFN-γ production in vitro 48 h after stimulation of lung MNC or splenocytes with mycobacterial antigen. Each bar represents the results obtained by using cells pooled from three mice. The titer is the reciprocal dilution of the bacterial sonicate. Solid bar, αGalCer-treated mouse; open bar, vehicle-treated control. (e and f) Levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 p40 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as determined 14 days after infection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (P values [Student's t test] indicated that differences were not significant). Each symbol represents an individual mouse. Solid circle, αGalCer (αGC)-treated mouse; open circle, vehicle (Veh)-treated control.