FIG 3.

Bz-plus-PTX therapy decreases immune response abnormalities systemically and in heart tissue. Chronically T. cruzi-infected C57BL/6 mice were treated daily (120 to 150 dpi) with Veh, PTX (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), or a suboptimal dose of Bz (one-quarter dose of 25 mg/kg, by gavage) alone or combined with PTX (Bz plus PTX) and analyzed at 150 dpi. (A) Frequencies of CD8⁺ TNFR1⁺ T cells in spleen. (B) RT-qPCR for detection of TNF mRNA in heart tissue. (C) ELISA for detection of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 concentrations in serum. The data represent results from two independent experiments. In each experiment, groups consisted of 3 to 5 randomly sorted mice per group. Veh-injected infected mice were compared with NI controls (*, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001). Mice administered PTX, Bz, or Bz plus PTX were compared with Veh-injected mice (#, P < 0.05; ##, P < 0.01; ###, P < 0.001). Mice treated with Bz plus PTX were compared with PTX-treated mice (§§§, P < 0.001). Mice treated with Bz plus PTX were compared with Bz-treated mice (‡, P < 0.05). Low-high bar graphs show lines at mean, minimum, and maximum values.