Parasite burden and heart inflammation in <i>T</i>. <i>cruzi</i> infected EP-2^+/+ and EP-2^-/- mice.

<p>(A) mRNA levels of EP receptors (<i>Ptger1</i>, <i>Ptger2</i>, <i>Ptger3</i> and <i>Ptger4</i>) was determined by qRT-PCR in heart tissue RNA samples isolated from C57BL/6 mice non-infected (0 d.p.i.) and at 14 days post-infection (n = 5). (B) The presence of the parasites in the blood of EP-2^+/+ or EP-2^-/- mice at different d.p.i. was quantified by direct counting under optical microscopy. (C) DNA from heart tissue was isolated and qPCR using <i>T</i>. <i>cruzi</i> DNA standard was performed to determine parasite burden in EP-2^+/+ or EP-2^-/- infected mice at 14 d.p.i. Means ± SEM from a representative experiment (n = 4) from three independent experiments are shown (n = 4). (D) Heart tissue sections of EP-2^+/+ and EP-2^-/- from non-infected mice (0 d.p.i.) and at 14 d.p.i., were stained with Masson’s Trichrome and inflammatory cell infiltration was quantified as described in Methods. (***p<0.001). (E) Representative pictures of heart sections described in C. Arrows indicate inflammatory infiltration. Scale bar is 100 μm.