Fig. 4.

Role of TNF-α production from CD8⁺ T cells in oviduct pathological sequelae following vaginal C. muridarum infection. (A and B) Groups (n = 3) of C57BL/6 and CD8^−/− mice were challenged i.vag. with 5 × 10⁴ IFU of C. muridarum on day 0, and granzyme B (A) and TNF-α (B) production was evaluated in the upper genital tract homogenates on days 3, 8, and 13 following challenge. *, significant (P ≤ 0.05, Student's t test) difference between the CD8^−/− and C57BL/6 mice. Results are representative of two independent experiments. (C) Groups (n = 3 to 6) of mice as indicated were challenged i.vag. with 5 × 10⁴ IFU of C. muridarum on day 0, and macroscopic oviduct dilatation was measured on day 80 after challenge. Each individual marker represents one oviduct, and the mean ± SEM of oviduct diameter per group of mice also is shown. The number of normal oviducts (numerator) and the total number of oviducts evaluated (denominator) per respective group of mice have been indicated in parentheses. *, significant (P ≤ 0.05, chi-square test and ANOVA) difference in incidence and dilatation, respectively, of hydrosalpinx between CD8^−/− and C57BL/6 mice and between CD8^−/− mice repleted with TNF-α^−/− CD8⁺ T cells and CD8^−/− mice repleted with C57BL/6 CD8⁺ T cells. Results are a composite from two independent experiments.