Figure 5.

rLCMV/INDG dissemination in the brain of perforin-deficient, TCRβδ^−/− and RAG^−/− mice, and dense CD8⁺ T cell infiltrates in perforin-deficient mice. Perforin-deficient (PKO), TCRβδ^−/−, RAG^−/− and C57BL/6 wild-type control mice were infected with rLCMV/INDG intracerebrally and were sacrificed at the indicated time points. Brain tissues were processed for immunohistochemical analysis of LCMV NP (A) and CD8⁺ T cells (B). The latter analysis was only performed for perforin-deficient and C57BL/6 mice since TCRβδ^−/- and RAG^−/− mice lack T cells. Representative images of 2–4 animals per group and timepoint are shown. Arrowheads in (A) indicate infected (LCMV NP-positive) subependymal cells. Insets in the Day 12 timepoints of (A) show persisting infection of ependymal cells in TCRβδ^−/− and RAG^−/− but not in perforin-deficient mice, whereas subependymal cells are infected in all three knockout strains. Scale bars A: 100 µm; B: 50 µm. d = days post intracerebral infection.