Preventive CTLA-4-Ig Treatment Reduces Hepatic Egg Load and Hepatic Fibrosis in Schistosoma mansoni-Infected Mice

Figure 2

Hepatosplenomegaly and egg load are decreased in mice preventively treated with CTLA-4-Ig. (a) Relative organ size of livers and spleens was expressed as a ratio to body weight (n = 6–12 out of 4 independent experiments). (b) Numbers of total hepatic eggs were counted (n = 6–9 out of 4 independent experiments). (c) Representative images of liver sections stained with haematoxylin/eosin are shown; 100x magnification. (d) Size of hepatic granulomas were quantified by using ImageJ software (n = 5–7 out of 4 independent experiments). (e) Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and (f) alkaline phosphatase (AP) were determined (n = 4–6 out of 4 independent experiments). Data are represented as mean ± SD from duplicate data.

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