Figure 9.

Lactobacillus plantarum restores the expression of mincle in lung along with compromised immunity against Mtb in mice with gut dysbiosis. Mice were subjected to Abx in drinking water for 4 wk followed by L. plantarum (10⁸ CFU per mice) administration every other day for 2 wk prior to Mtb infection until sacrifice. After 4 wk, lung tissue was harvested and examined for the (A) Mtb load by CFU assay. Further, (B,C) lung lymphocytes were cultured with PPD (25 μg/ml) for 72 h. Later, cells were evaluated for the expression of FoxP3 on CD4 T cells by flow cytometry. (D–G) Lung cells were monitored ex vivo for the expression of CD44 and CD62L to evaluate the (D,E) activation (CD44^hi); and (F,G) effector memory response (CD62L^loCD44^hi) by flow cytometry. Contour plots and bar graphs represent the percentage population of cells gated on CD4 T cells. Data represented as mean±SD are of 2 independent experiments (n = 5 mice/group). CT: control mice with no Abx; Mtb: Mtb challenged mice; Abx-Mtb: mice treated with Abx prior to Mtb infection; Abx-Mtb-LP: Abx treated mice infected with Mtb and supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum. ^*p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01, ^***p < 0.001.