Fig. 8.
Phosphatase activity and DNA-binding ability of PtpA contribute to innate immune suppression during infection in vivo. a–c Quantitative PCR analysis of Tnf mRNA a, Il1b mRNA b and Il12b mRNA c in splenic cells from mice. BALB/c nude mice were infected intratracheally with 2 × 106 of WT BCG, BCG ΔPtpA, BCG (ΔPtpA + PtpA), BCG (ΔPtpA + D126A), or BCG (ΔPtpA + PtpA Δ1-20) strain for 0–20 days. d Bacterial load in homogenates of lungs from mice treated as in a–c. e, f Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of lungs e and livers f of mice treated as in a–c. Arrows indicate foci of cellular infiltration. Scale bars, 200 μm. *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 (unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test). Data are representative of one experiment with two independent biological replicates (a–d; mean and s.e.m. of n = 6 mice per group)