(A–D) At 48 hr post-injection with Ad-vector (1 × 1013 pfu/kg), Ad-shRubicon (1 × 1012 pfu/kg),or Ad-Rubicon (1 × 1013 pfu/kg) twice intravenously via the tail vein, mice were infected with L. monocytogenes (1 × 107 CFU/mouse) and mortality was measured for n = 23 mice per group (A). Bacterial loads of infected mice (n =5 per group) in spleen and liver (B), serum cytokine levels (C) or splenocyte ROS levels (D) were determined at 5 days post-infection with L. monocytogenes (1 × 106 CFU/mouse).
(E–H) Doxycycline-inducible, macrophage-specific expression of Rubicon in SRA-rtTA mice. After 7 days of doxycycline treatment, mice were infected with L. monocytogenes (1 × 107 CFU per mouse) and mortality was measured for n = 6 mice per group (E). L. monocytogenes loads of infected mice (n=6 per group) in liver and spleen (F). Serum cytokine levels (G) or H&E staining (I) were determined at 6 days post-infection with L. monocytogenes (1 × 106 CFU/mouse). CFU, colony-forming units. ***p < 0.001 compared with the doxycycline-off conditions. The data are the mean ± SD of values from three experiments. Bar, 200 μm. See also Figure S6.