Fig 5.

In vivo depletion of NK cells does not alter survival of animals infected with B. anthracis. Female Swiss Webster mice were inoculated with 50 μg of control rabbit immunoglobulin serum or anti-asialo GM1 to deplete NK cells 72 h prior to, and 48 h after, infection with B. anthracis Ames spores. (A and B) Flow cytometric analysis for the NK marker DX5, confirming the splenic depletion of NK cells in representative animals (n = 2 per treatment group in each of 3 independent experiments) (A), and mean time to death in the NK cell-depleted and mock-depleted control animals postchallenge, representative of one of three independent experiments (B). (C and D) Peribronchiolar and perivascular edema with acute inflammation and bacilli in the lung of a mouse infected with B. anthracis (C) and higher magnification of panel C showing edema, inflammatory cells, and bacilli present in the lung of this mouse (D).