Figure 3.

Proliferation of Nfil3^−/− Ly49H⁺ NK cells requires cognate viral ligand m157. (A) Nfil3^−/− mice were infected with MCMV (6 × 10² pfu) and MCMV-Δm157 (4.5 × 10⁴ pfu). Percentage of Ly49H⁺ NK cells within total splenocyte populations were determined on day 7 PI. (B) Nfil3^−/− mice were infected with recombinant VSV expressing m157 or OVA (10⁷ pfu), and the percentage of Ly49H⁺ NK cells within the total splenocyte population was determined at day 7 PI. (C) Nfil3^−/− mice were infected with recombinant VACV expressing m157 or OVA as in B, and percentage of Ly49H⁺ NK cells was determined in the indicated organs at day 7 PI. (D) Absolute numbers of Ly49H⁺ NK cells in Nfil3^−/− mice infected with VACV-m157 or VACV-OVA are shown for the indicated tissues. (E) Nfil3^−/− mice were infected with VACV-m157 (solid black lines) or VACV-OVA (shaded gray) and expression of KLRG1, CD62L, and Ly6C on splenic NK1.1⁺ Ly49H⁺ NK cells was determined at day 7 PI. Error bars for all graphs show SEM and data are representative of n = 3 mice per group, and experiments were performed twice.