Aspergillus fumigatus Infection-Induced Neutrophil Recruitment and Location in the Conducting Airway of Immunocompetent, Neutropenic, and Immunosuppressed Mice

Figure 4

Effect of immunosuppression and neutrophil depletion on conducting airway wall neutrophils. (a–c) The experimental design (left) and representative surface rendering images of the conducting airway wall neutrophils (green) and smooth muscle layer (brown) before (left image panels) or 6 h after A. fumigatus conidium application (right image panels) in immunocompetent mice (NM) (a), mice induced by injections of cyclophosphamide (Cy) and cortisone acetate (CA) immunosuppression (CyCA) (b), and neutropenic mice that were treated with anti-Gr-1 (aGr-1) or anti-Ly6G (aLy6G) antibodies (c) along with mice that received the respective isotype controls (IgG2b or IgG2a). Quantitative analysis of the number of conducting airway wall neutrophils of each experimental group before conidium application (empty bars) and 6 h after (black bars) (d). The data are shown as the mean ± SD (n = at least 3 mice per group). The differences between the indicated groups were determined using the Mann–Whitney U test. ; ; ns: not significant.

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