FIG. 2.
Reduced Cryptococcus-induced BAL fluid eosinophilia requires live BCG infection and is influenced by the route, dose, and timing of BCG infection. BCG was administered intranasally or i.v. prior to intranasal infection with 2 × 104 CFU of Cryptococcus (Crypto). The time interval between BCG and Cryptococcus infection was 42 days, except in one group for which the interval was stretched to 129 days. The BCG inoculum was 2 × 105 CFU per animal in all but two groups, with which the effects of a high dose of BCG (2 × 106 CFU) and a low dose of BCG (103 CFU) were investigated. The effect of intranasal administration of 2 × 105 CFU of HK-BCG on Cryptococcus-induced BAL fluid eosinophilia is also shown. A control group was given PBS instead of BCG. Thirteen days after the fungal infection, BAL was performed and the percentages of eosinophils (Eos) in the lavage fluids were determined by counting cells on H&E-stained cytocentrifugation slides. Each column represents the mean with standard deviations of results from one experimental group of five mice. The data shown is from one of two representative experiments with five mice per group. The asterisks designate statistically significant differences from the PBS/Cryptococcus-infected group (P < 0.05), and the number signs designate significant differences from the BCG/Cryptococcus-infected group.