Fig. 2.
Alveolar macrophages limit vaccinia virus infection. Mice were treated with intratracheal injection of clodronate or saline liposomes 2 days prior to infection with 4 × 105 pfu Vac-FL intranasally (n = 5 mice per group). (A) Mice were weighed daily to monitor overall progression of disease. Data are presented as mean ± SEM percent loss of initial weight. (B) Representative bioluminescent images on day 4 of Vac-FL infection in mice treated with clodronate or saline liposomes. Viral bioluminescence in the lungs (arrow) and spread to inguinal lymph node (asterisk) is greater in mice treated with clodronate liposomes to deplete alveolar macrophages. (C–E) Quantified photon flux data from the head (C), chest (D), and abdomen (E) regions-of-interest. Data are shown as mean values of background subtracted photon flux ± SEM.