Figure 5. Minihepcidin PR73 decreases infection by V. vulnificus in Hamp1^−/− mice.

Hamp1^−/− mice (either iron-depleted or iron-loaded) were treated with 100 nmol of PR73 (red symbols) or solvent (white symbols) 24h and 3h before infection with 300 CFU V. vulnificus. Mice were euthanized 16h after infection. N=10–11 per group. (A) Serum iron was markedly decreased in PR73-injected mice, with no difference in serum iron between solvent-injected iron-depleted and iron-loaded mice. (B) Liver iron was higher in iron-loaded than iron-depleted mice as expected. PR73 administration did not result in significant changes in liver iron stores. (C) and (D) V. vulnificus was undetectable in blood and liver in PR73-treated mice, in contrast to mice treated with saline. Each dot represents one mouse; black solid lines represent the mean of CFU counts. The black dotted line represents the lower limit of detection of CFU counts (calculated as half of the minimum detectable CFU counts). Statistical significance was assessed using student’s t test if data were normally distributed (**p<0.01) or Mann-Whitney U test if they were not (⁺p<0.05; ⁺⁺p<0.01). See also Figure S5.