Higher numbers of CD11b⁺ cells in the lungs of NOS2-/- KO mice.

Flow cytometry analysis was performed on single cell suspensions obtained from lungs of WT C57/BL6 or NOS2-/- mice. In these mice increased numbers of CD11b⁺ cells but not CD11b⁺CD11c⁺ cells could be observed as the infection progressed (A, B, C). In contrast, differences for CD11c⁺ and CD4⁺ cells only became evident at later time points (B, D). No significant differences were observed for CD8⁺ cells (E). Results are expressed as the mean values of log mean cell number (± SEM, n=5) in the lung. Bacterial burden (F) was enumerated at different time points after a low dose aerosol infection with M. tuberculosis. As observed, bacterial burden in both murine strains is similar at early time points after infection and diverges after 30 days of infection. Results are expressed as the mean Log 10 CFUs (±SEM, n=5) in the lungs. Student t-test, * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001.