Fig 4. IL-1Ra therapy has no effect on either kidney abscesses or S. aureus loads in kidneys and joints.
NMRI mice inoculated with S. aureus strain Newman (1.1–1.7 × 106 cfu/mouse) were treated with anakinra (IL-1Ra, 4mg/mouse, n = 40), or PBS (n = 35) every day starting on day 7 before inoculation with bacteria and continuing until the animals were sacrificed on day 5 and day 10. (A) Abscess scores of the kidneys from the mice sacrificed 10 days after infection and, (B) persistence of S. aureus in kidneys of the mice. The data from 3 independent experiments were pooled, (n = 23–26 mice/group). (C) Persistence of S. aureus in joints including wrists, ankles, and knees of the mice (n = 10 mice/group) sacrificed 5 days after infection. Statistical evaluations were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test. Data were presented as mean± SEM for kidney abscesses or scatter dot plot with median for bacterial load in kidneys and in joints. ns = not significant.