Fig 5.

WNV-specific immune responses are impaired in the sera from ASC^−/− mice. (A) IFN-α levels in the sera from WT and ASC^−/− mice following WNV challenge were measured on the indicated days after infection using a mouse IFN-α ELISA kit. The data depicted are representative of two independent experiments. The solid horizontal lines signify the median of seven mice per group. *, P < 0.05. (B) Sera were collected from WT and ASC^−/− mice at the indicated time points, and the WNV-specific IgM response was measured by MIA using WNV E antigen. The values represent the median fluorescence intensities (MFI) of individual infected mice minus the mean MFI ± 3 standard deviations of the respective mock group (n = 8). The data are depicted as scattered points representing individual mice, with the median represented by the horizontal lines, and are representative of two independent experiments (n = 10 to 12). *, P < 0.05.