FIG 6.

Effect of inflammasome blocking reagents on adjuvanticity of NanoSiO2. (A) Adult female CB6F1 mice were immunized i.m. with 0.1 μg H1N1 antigen in combination with a 50-μg dose of NanoSiO2 and were treated with either 0.5 mg anti-murine IL-1β (anti-mIL-1β) antibody i.p. or 10 mg/kg caspase-1 inhibitor (YVAD) i.p. 24 h before and after immunizations; the effects were compared to those seen with mice receiving antigen alone or antigen and adjuvant. At 4 weeks later, mice were infected i.n. with H1N1 influenza virus. Serum anti-influenza virus IgG levels were assessed 1 day before the day of infection. (B) Weight change during influenza virus infection. (C, D, and F) Viral loads (C) and levels of BAL fluid anti-influenza virus IgA (D) and influenza virus-specific CD8⁺ T cells (F) were determined on day 7 of infection. Points in panel B and thin horizontal lines in panels A and C to E represent means of the results determined with n = 5 mice. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 (NanoSiO2 versus antigen alone as measured by two-way ANOVA).