Fig. 2.
Effect of DHT on disease progression in L.-mexicana-infected female DBA/2 mice. Following general anesthesia, ovariectomy was performed as described previously [72]. Two weeks later, Silastic capsules containing 7 mg of DHT were implanted subcutaneously into the dorsal region just below the neck through small subcutaneous incisions (open squares). Control sham ovariectomized (closed diamonds) and intact (closed circles) female mice were similarly implanted with empty Silastic capsules. The incisions were closed using Michel Clips (7.5 × 1.75 mm), and 2 weeks later the mice were infected with 5 × 106 L. mexicana amastigotes subcutaneously into the shaven rump. All animals were individually ear marked, and disease progression was monitored in individual mice by measuring lesion diameter every 2 weeks up to week 10. Data are expressed as mean lesion diameter ± standard error.