FIG 3.
Atg5 favors R. australis infection in BMMs in association with suppression of the IL-1β-mediated response. BMMs of Atg5flox/flox Lyz-Cre and Atg5flox/flox mice were infected with R. australis at an MOI of 2. (A) Simultaneously, these macrophages were treated with recombinant IL-1β. (B) Macrophages were simultaneously treated with neutralizing antibody against IL-1β and the IgG controls. At 48 h p.i., cells were washed and collected for quantitative analysis of intracellular R. australis by real-time PCR. The number of citrate synthase (CS) gene copies per nanogram of genomic DNA represents the quantity of rickettsiae. Each group included cells in 8 to 18 independent wells representing 2 to 3 mice. The data shown represent those from two independent experiments. *, P < 0.05; n.s., not significantly different.