Figure 5. Neutrophil depletion results in splenomegaly and rapid clearance of H. diminuta worms.

Spleen cell suspensions from infected Kit^w-sh mast-cell deficient mice treated with either isotype control (ISO) antibodies or anti-Gr-1-depleting antibodies were adjusted to 1×10⁶/ml and incubated with blocking anti-CD16/32 and subsequently stained with fluorochrome-conjugated CD11b, Gr-1 and MHC II-specific antibodies. The percentage of neutrophils (Gr-1⁺MHCII⁻) in samples from both experimental groups at indicated time points with representative plots are shown in (A). Panel (B) shows the number of H. diminuta flushed from the small intestine on day 8 post-infection from Kit^w-sh neutrophil-depleted mice and Kit^w-sh mice with an intact neutrophil population. Splenic weight and cell counts from Kit^w-sh mice infected with H. diminuta and treated with neutrophil-depleting antibodies are shown in (C) and (D). Data are mean ± SEM for n=5 from one experiment (*P<0.05 compared to time-matched WT counterparts; #P<0.05 compared to time-matched ISO-treated mice).