Fig 5. BclA inhibited antibody responses against spores.
(A) C57BL/6 mice were i.n. inoculated with ~1×108 spores of 7702, ΔbclA or vehicle control once and blood collected at 2 weeks post inoculation (2wk), or inoculated again with the same spores and dose at 2 weeks and blood collected at 4 weeks after the initial inoculation (4wk). Anti-spore antibodies in the serum were detected using ELISA. Data shown were combined from at least three independent experiments. The mouse number for the various groups is as follows: control, n = 8; 2wk experiment, n = 30 and 29 for 7702 and ΔbclA, respectively; 4wk experiment, n = 30 and 28 for for 7702 and ΔbclA, respectively. (B) C3-/- mice were i.n. inoculated with vehicle control, or ~5×105 spores of 7702 or ΔbclA and blood collected at 2 weeks post inoculation. Anti-spore antibodies in the serum were detected using ELISA. Data shown were combined from at least three independent experiments, with n = 10, 24 and 21 for control, 7702 and ΔbclA, respectively. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ****, p < 0.0001; t test.