Figure 8.

Interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 mRNA expression in the footpads and draining lymph nodes (dLN) of Leishmania major-infected BALB/c wild-type (WT) and IFNAR1^−/− mice treated with CpG-oligodesoxynucleotides (ODN) 1668. BALB/c WT and IFNAR1^−/− mice were infected with 3 × 10⁶ stationary phase L. major promastigotes into both hind footpads. 2 h before infection, 5 nmol CpG-ODN 1668 was administered subcutaneously at the site of infection, and 10 h postinfection additional 5 nmol CpG-ODN 1668 was injected intraperitoneally. Control mice received PBS (same volume). Total RNA was isolated from footpad and dLN tissue at day 23 or day 24 of infection and reverse transcribed. Gene expression levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were determined as described in legend of Figure 3. Results are mean expression levels (±SEM) from two independent experiments with three mice per group. Significant differences by Mann–Whitney test (*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01) are indicated.