Mice were infected i.n. with 2×104C. neoformans organisms and euthanized 12 days post-infection.
(A) Fungal burden of C57BL/6 wild-type (n = 10), IL-1R knockout (n = 5), IL-18R knockout (n = 6), and MyD88 knockout (n = 6) mice after infection with C. neoformans. Numbers of CFU in the lungs, brain, and spleen were determined, with results expressed as log10 CFU per gram of tissue and as individual data points for each animal. Bars represent the mean values and the dotted line indicates the lower limit of detection. *, P<0.05 and **, P<0.01 compared with wild-type mice. (B) Cytokine levels in the lungs of wild-type and knockout mice after infection with C. neoformans. Cytokines were measured by Bio-Plex assay. Lung cytokine levels were also determined in uninfected mice to establish baseline levels. Data are expressed as picograms of cytokine per gram of lung. Results are means ± SEM. *, P<0.05, **, P<0.01, and ***, P<0.001 compared with wild-type infected mice.
