Figure 9.

Messenger RNA expression levels and production of CCL2, CXCL1 and CXCL10 in the livers of murine hepatitis virus (MHV) 3‐infected wild‐type (WT) and Toll‐like receptor knockout (TLR2 KO) mice. Groups of six or seven C57BL/6 (WT) and TLR2 KO mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) infected with 1000 TCID₅₀ of MHV3. At 24, 48 or 72 hr post‐infection (p.i.), livers from each group were collected. mRNA expression for CXCL1 (a), CCL2 (c) and CXCL10 (e) genes was evaluated by quantitative RT‐PCR in livers from MHV3‐infected WT and TLR2 KO mice. Values represent fold change in gene expression relative to mock‐infected mice (arbitrary value of 1) after normalization with HPRT expression. Protein levels of CXCL1 (b), CCL2 (d) and CXCL10 (f) in the liver were quantified by ELISA test at 72 hr p.i. Immunolocalization of CXCL10 in the liver determined by histochemistry staining in MHV3‐infected WT and TLR2 KO mice (g). (*P < 0·05; **P < 0·01; ***P < 0·001).