Figure 6. Rag1^−/− mice, but not IL-1R^−/− mice, are attenuated for clearance of M28 GAS vaginal colonization.

Panels (A,C) show CFU counts recovered from vaginal washes of Rag1^−/− mice and IL-1R^−/− mice, respectively, each infected with 10⁶ CFU GAS M28 strain MEW123. Rag1^−/− mice show significantly greater CFU counts from vaginal washes isolated serially over time compared with WT C57BL/6J mice (n = 8 mice/point, RM-ANOVA, ***p < 0.001). IL-1R^−/− mice did not differ significantly from WT controls in their ability to clear carriage (n = 10 mice/point). Panels (B,D) show neutrophil counts per 100 cells counted in smears from vaginal washes of GAS MEW123 infected Rag1^−/− mice and IL-1R^−/− mice, respectively. No significant difference in neutrophil recruitment was found between Rag1^−/− mice and WT mice (B, n = 8 mice/point, RM-ANOVA, p = 0.224). Mice lacking the IL-1 receptor were significantly attenuated for neutrophil recruitment compared to WT mice (D, n = 8 mice/point, RM-ANOVA,***p < 0.001).