Figure 2.

Fat Depots Are a Major Parasite Reservoir

(A) Schematic representation of mice fat depots and anti-VSG immunohistochemistry images of six different fat depots, collected 28 days post-infection. Scale bar, 50 μm.

(B) Transmission electron micrograph of a gonadal fat depot 6 days post-infection. Trypanosome (T) and lymphocyte in the interstitial space, adjacent to an adipocyte and next to a small capillary. Scale bars, 2 and 0.5 μm in the left and right panels, respectively.

(C) Parasite density in multiple organs/tissues (6 and 28 days post-infection) was measured by qRT-PCR of gDNA (quantification of T. brucei 18s rDNA relative to the tissue/organ weight). Blood density was assumed 1.05 g/mL. Fat value is the average of quantification of the six depots indicated in (A). Each point represents the geometric mean of the parasite density on days 6 (n = 3–9) and 28 post-infection (n = 3–6).

(D) Parasite load in multiple organs/tissues estimated by multiplying parasite density with organ weight at the corresponding day of infection. Each point represents the geometric mean of the parasite density on days 6 (n = 3–9) and 28 post-infection (n = 3–6).

See also Figures S1–S3.