Figure 3. FTY720 treatment delays viral clearance from infected corneas and enhance IL-6 expression.

C57BL/6 mice were infected with 1×10⁴ PFU of HSV-1. One group served as infected control and the other was treated with FTY720 (0.3 mg/kg body weight) starting from 24 h pi. (A) Corneal swabs were collected from treated and control groups at various days pi. and virus titers were determined using standard plaque assays using Vero cells. 4–5 mice per group for each time point was used to quantify the viral titers. (B) IL-6 concentration measured by sandwich ELISA in the corneal homogenate samples of FTY720 treated and control groups at different time points are shown. Pooled corneas from each group were used for the ELISA quantification. Bar graphs represent the levels of IL-6 in corneal samples of different groups of mice. Statistical levels of significance were analyzed by a Student t test. Data represent means ± SEM (C). Bar graphs represent the levels of IL-6 in DLNs of different groups of mice. Statistical levels of significance were analyzed by a Student t test. Data represent means ± SEM.