Figure 3.

OPN mediates C. rodentium colonization. A and B: Colonization with C. rodentium on PI day 10 was measured by homogenizing fecal pellets and colonic tissues and then quantifying bacterial growth in serial dilutions. OPN^−/− mice infected with C. rodentium had significantly fewer CFU/g feces (A) and colonic homogenates (B), compared with infected wild-type (WT) mice (t-test: *P < 0.005). C and D: A time-course of infection, quantifying CFU in feces (C) and colonic homogenates (D) of infected OPN^−/− mice relative to infected wild-type mice showed a similar pattern of peak colonization on days six and ten and a reduction in bacterial load on day 15 (*P < 0.01). In wild-type mice, fecal colonization was maximum at six days PI (analysis of variance: P < 0.001 PI day six relative to all other time points; KO mice: P > 0.05).