Fig. 5.

Survival curves (a) and histopathological analysis of calcification in the heart after lung macrophage depletion (b, c). BALB/c mice were treated with either clodronate-containing liposomes or PBS-containing liposomes two days prior to infection with 10³ aerosolized Francisella novicida in order to deplete lung macrophages. (a) The survival of groups of ten clodronate-treated (dotted line) and PBS-treated (solid line) mice were compared in this experiment. Using a Log-Rank test, it was determined that there was not a statistically significant difference in survival (P < 0.398). Von Kossa staining of the heart tissue from PBS-treated (b) and clodronate-treated (c) mice are shown at the time of death. Similar survival rates and calcium deposition were noted in two independent experiments.