FIGURE 4.

Local and systemic expression of mEar 11 in response to protective priming of the respiratory tract with L. plantarum. A, protocol. BALB/c mice received either live L. plantarum (Lp; 10⁹ cfu in 50 μl) at day 0 and day 7 or diluent (PBS/BSA) control prior to evaluation 3 weeks later on day 28. We have shown previously that administration of L. plantarum directly to the respiratory mucosa results in robust and sustained protection against the lethal sequelae of subsequent respiratory virus infection (29). B–D, expression of transcripts encoding mEar 11 (copies mEar 11/copies GAPDH) in lung, spleen, and bone marrow, respectively; *, p < 0.05 versus diluent control, n = 3–6 mice per group.