Fig 4. Mnn10 is required for C. albicans systemic infection.

C57BL/6 mice were infected with 5×10⁵ CFU SN152, mnn10Δ/Δ::MNN10 or mnn10Δ/Δ strain in 200 μl sterile saline via lateral tail vein. (A) Survival of C57BL/6 mice infected with the indicated strains was monitored for over 30 days (n = 10 per group). Data are representative of three independent experiments. (B) Quantification of the fungal burden in kidney tissues of C57BL/6 mice (n = 6 per group) infected with indicated C. albicans strains at day 2 and day 5. Data are representative of three independent experiments. (C) Representative H&E (for the inflammatory cells influx and the extent of tissue necrosis) and PAS (for C. albicans) staining of kidneys from C57BL/6 mice infected with indicated strains at day 2 and 5. Arrows indicate C. albicans filaments in the tissues. Magnification = 200 ×. (D) ELISA assays for IL-6, GM-CSF, IFN-γ and IL-17 in homogenized kidneys from C57BL/6 mice infected with indicated C. albicans at day 5 (n = 8 per group). The cytokine levels were normalized to burden of infection in each individually kidney as fg/g tissue/CFU. Data are means ± SD and are representative of three independent experiments. (E) The cellular inflammation in the kidneys of SN152 or mnn10Δ/Δ infected mice. SSC^highCD11b⁺Ly-6C⁺Ly-6G⁺ neutrophils and SSC^highCD11b⁺Ly-6C⁺Ly-6G^- monocytes in the kidneys were detected at Day 3 and Day 5 by flow cytometry. Data are representative images of five mice. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 [Log-rank test (A) and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric One-way ANOVA with Dunns post-test (B, D)].