TABLE 1.
Alveolar macrophage number in normal and immunosuppressed rats with or without P. carinii infection over time
| Rat grouph | Mean alveolar macrophage no. ± SD (106) at indicated day after P. carinii inoculation
|
P vs. Dexg | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 27 | 34 | 41 | ||
| Healthya | 4.61 ± 0.42 | 4.56 ± 0.46 | NAi | NA | NA | NA | 4.47 ± 0.36 | |
| Dexb | 4.43 ± 0.26 | 4.23 ± 0.02 | 4.30 ± 0.27 | 4.36 ± 0.17 | 4.32 ± 0.11 | 4.25 ± 0.17 | 4.35 ± 0.10 | |
| Healthy challengedc (1×) | NA | 4.78 ± 0.10 | 6.85 ± 0.26 | 6.72 ± 0.40 | 7.12 ± 0.65 | 3.54 ± 0.27 | 4.27 ± 0.33 | 0.0005 |
| Healthy challenged (0.5×) | NA | 4.65 ± 0.11 | 6.39 ± 0.25 | 6.61 ± 0.45 | 6.83 ± 0.69 | 4.20 ± 0.26 | 4.51 ± 0.16 | 0.0053 |
| Healthy challenged (0.25×) | NA | 4.55 ± 0.14 | 6.88 ± 0.73 | 6.21 ± 0.48 | 5.39 ± 0.33 | 4.67 ± 0.42 | 4.45 ± 0.32 | 0.0058 |
| Healthy challenged (0.125×) | NA | 4.42 ± 0.12 | 4.38 ± 0.15 | 4.90 ± 0.50 | 4.29 ± 0.16 | NA | NA | >0.05 |
| Dex-Pcd (1×) | NA | 1.88 ± 0.14 | 1.77 ± 0.21 | 1.75 ± 0.15 | 2.03 ± 0.08 | 1.87 ± 0.74 | 2.19 ± 0.23 | 0.0007 |
| Dex-Pc (0.5×) | NA | 2.06 ± 0.16 | 1.97 ± 0.09 | 1.63 ± 0.23 | 2.11 ± 0.23 | 1.85 ± 0.23 | 1.83 ± 0.22 | <0.0001 |
| Dex-Pc (0.25×) | NA | 4.51 ± 0.13 | 2.21 ± 0.36 | 1.84 ± 0.48 | 1.69 ± 0.22 | 1.83 ± 0.09 | 1.83 ± 0.32 | 0.0003 |
| Dex-Pc (0.125×) | NA | 4.45 ± 0.39 | 1.86 ± 0.08 | 1.85 ± 0.15 | 1.92 ± 0.28 | 1.82 ± 0.24 | 1.53 ± 0.20 | 0.0001 |
| Dex-Pc (0.01×) | NA | NA | NA | 3.49 ± 0.29 | 1.86 ± 0.32 | 1.84 ± 0.09 | NA | 0.0002 |
| Treatmente (1×) | 1.75 ± 0.16 | 3.08 ± 0.33 | 3.28 ± 0.25 | 3.91 ± 0.11 | 0.0033 | |||
| Treatment (0.5×) | 1.63 ± 0.23 | 2.96 ± 0.20 | 3.55 ± 0.07 | 4.07 ± 0.20 | 0.041 | |||
| Treatment (0.25×) | 1.84 ± 0.48 | 2.38 ± 0.38 | 3.98 ± 0.21 | 3.96 ± 0.19 | 0.048 | |||
| Treatment (0.125×) | 1.85 ± 0.15 | 1.71 ± 0.24 | 2.87 ± 0.24 | 3.23 ± 0.21 | 0.0044 | |||
| Recoveryf (1×) | 1.75 ± 0.14 | 6.16 ± 0.10 | 5.18 ± 0.18 | 4.45 ± 0.15 | 0.0011 | |||
| Recovery (0.5×) | 1.63 ± 0.23 | 4.12 ± 0.11 | 6.89 ± 0.40 | 4.68 ± 0.24 | 0.0045 | |||
| Recovery (0.25×) | 1.84 ± 0.48 | 3.45 ± 0.10 | 5.80 ± 0.30 | 5.14 ± 0.14 | 0.0035 | |||
| Recovery (0.125×) | 1.85 ± 0.15 | 4.09 ± 0.13 | 4.42 ± 0.17 | 4.50 ± 0.15 | >0.05 | |||
Rats that were not immunosuppressed (immunocompetent rats).
Rats that were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone.
Immunocompetent rats inoculated with different loads of P. carinii.
Immunosuppressed rats inoculated with different loads of P. carinii.
Immunosuppressed, P. carinii-infected rats treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole starting on day 21.
Immunosuppressed, P. carinii-infected rats recovered from immunosuppression by cessation of dexamethasone treatment starting on day 21.
P for the smallest significant difference compared to the dexamethasone-treated group at the same time point. P values were calculated using Student's t-test.
Loads of P. carinii are indicated in parentheses as follows: 1×, 7.8 × 106; 0.5, 3.9 × 106; 0.25, 1.95 × 106; 0.125, 9.8 × 105; 0.01, 7.8 × 104.
NA, not assessed.