FIG 6.

Nanocurcumin enhances the T_CM/T_EM cell ratio in lungs of BCG-immunized mice. Mice were treated as described in the legend to Fig. 2a. At 75 days postinfection, lungs were harvested, and single-cell suspensions were made. Cells were cultured overnight with the M. tuberculosis lysate (CSA) and stained to assess antigen-specific immune responses. Cells were stained with anti-CD3, -CD4, -CD8, -CD44, -CD62L, and -CCR7 antibodies, followed by flow cytometry. Different memory subsets, including naive T cells (CD4⁺ CD44⁻ CD62L⁻/CD4⁺ CD44⁻ CCR7⁻ or CD8⁺ CD44⁻ CD62L⁻/CD8⁺ CD44⁻ CCR7⁻), T_CM cells (CD4⁺ CD44⁺ CD62L⁺/CD4⁺ CD44⁺ CCR7⁺ or CD8⁺ CD44⁺ CD62L⁺/CD8⁺ CD44⁺ CCR7⁺), and T_EM cells (CD4⁺ CD44⁺ CD62L⁻/CD4⁺ CD44⁺ CCR7⁻ or CD8⁺ CD44⁺ CD62L⁻/CD8⁺ CD44⁺ CCR7⁻), were analyzed by flow cytometry. (a) Contour plots and bar diagrams of different (CD62L-gated) CD4⁺ T memory subsets in lungs of different experimental groups. (b) Contour plots and bar diagrams of different (CD62L-gated) CD8⁺ T memory subsets in lungs of different experimental groups. (c) Contour plots and bar diagrams of different (CCR7-gated) CD4⁺ T memory subsets in spleens of different experimental groups. (d) Contour plots and bar diagrams of different (CCR7-gated) CD8⁺ T memory subsets in spleens of different experimental groups. All data are representative of results from 3 independent experiments with 5 mice from each experimental group at each time point. All values are represented as means ± SD. Statistical analyses were done by ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc analysis. * denotes a P value of ≤0.05. Experimental groups are (i) H37Rv, (ii) nanocurcumin (NC) plus H37Rv, (iii) BCG plus H37Rv, and (iv) BCG plus nanocurcumin and H37Rv.