Figure 8.

Inability to maintain the granulomatous response to M. leprae in cLTα^−/− mouse FPs is associated with reduced cytokine, chemokine, and CAM expression. cB6 (closed bars) and cLTα^−/− (hatched bars) FPs were inoculated with 3 × 10⁷ M. leprae and FP tissue was harvested at 12 weeks post-infection. RNA was purified and subjected to real-time RT-PCR for (A) Th1 cytokines and NOS2, (B) chemokines and chemokine receptors, and (C) CAMs. Gene expression is reported as a ratio to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA expression. Data shown are means ± SE of four mice per group and are representative of two independent experiments. *P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; ***P ≤ 0.001; ****P < 0.0001.