Figure 7.
Evaluation of mucosal immune response in lung and intestine
BalB/c mice were immunized via intramuscular and oral routes. The intramuscular injection consisted of a single dose of 1 × 107 CFU, whereas the oral route of administration consisted of two doses of 1 × 108 CFU at a 2-week interval. The immunoglobulin response in sera, lung homogenates, and intestinal lavage samples was evaluated 3 weeks after the final inoculation by ELISA. (A) IgA response in sera of immunized mice at a sera dilution of 1:100. (B) sIgA and (C) IgG response in the lung homogenates at a sample dilution of 1:200. (D) sIgA response in the intestinal lavage at a sample dilution of 1:1,000. Dotted lines indicate the cutoff value determined by multiplying the mean OD492 values of healthy samples by 2.1. Data derived from three to five biologically independent mice per group. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA using Tukey's multiple comparisons test. The data points represent the individual value from each animal and error bars denote the SEM at 95% CI. ns, p > 0.05; ∗p < 0.05; ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001; ∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001.