Figure 5.

CD18^Ly6G cKO mice infected with A. fumigatus are characterized by elevated lung infiltration of PMN, but not in spleens and blood (n=10/genotype) (A). Elevated PMN counts have also been found in Cytospins (bars depict the mean ± SEM of n=8 cytospins/genotype; cell infiltration has been assessed using a scoring system; 0=missing - 3=strongest infiltration) (B). Here, we could additionally observe higher numbers of mononuclear cells (B). This is consistent with the finding of higher macrophage counts in the BALF of CD18^fl/fl mice as compared to CD18^Ly6G cKO mice observed in FACS-analysis (B). Assessment of PMN apoptosis revealed a stronger expression of apoptosis marker Annexin V in PMN derived from BALF and blood of CD18^Ly6G cKO mice (C). Bars depict the mean ± SEM of the relative cell counts found in n=8 cytospins/genotype. Legend in A applies to all panels. Statistically significant differences between groups are indicated (*p<0.05)