FIG 3.

Cytokine levels and effector CD8⁺ T cell marker mRNA expression in brains of Irgm3^−/− mice during acute PbA infection. WT and Irgm3^−/− (KO) mice were infected with 1 × 10⁶ PbA pRBC, and brains were collected following intracardiac PBS perfusion on day 6 or 7 p.i. (A) Half brains from individual mice were homogenized in protease inhibitor cocktail in PBS and were assessed for IFN-γ, CCL2, and CXCL9 using a cytometric bead array. CXCL10 protein was measured by ELISA. Cytokine protein was normalized to total protein and is presented as pg/mg. (B) Expression of mRNA for IFN-γ (Ifng), granzyme B (Gzmb), and perforin (Prf1) in brain homogenates was determined by RT-qPCR. Symbols represent individual animals, and horizontal lines and error bars represent means ± SEM. Data are from two or three pooled experiments with a total of n = 5 to 23/group. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test. *, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.005; n.s, P > 0.05. UI, uninfected.