Mice were infected i.n. with 2×10⁴<i>C. neoformans</i> organisms and euthanized 12 days post-infection.

Abstract

<p>(A) Fungal burden of C57BL/6 wild-type (<i>n = 10</i>), IL-1R knockout (<i>n = 5</i>), IL-18R knockout (<i>n = 6</i>), and MyD88 knockout (<i>n = 6</i>) mice after infection with <i>C. neoformans</i>. 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. *, <i>P</i><0.05 and **, <i>P</i><0.01 compared with wild-type mice. (B) Cytokine levels in the lungs of wild-type and knockout mice after infection with C. <i>neoformans</i>. 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. *, <i>P</i><0.05, **, <i>P</i><0.01, and ***, <i>P</i><0.001 compared with wild-type infected mice.</p