Leukocyte recruitment to the lungs and BAL following vNA-Δ infection.

<p>C57BL/6 mice were inoculated with PBS (mock) or infected intranasally with influenza 10⁵ PFU of PR8 virus or vNA-Δ (n = 5). Mice were euthanized and lungs removed 1, 4 and 7 dpi. The recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages/mononuclear (A) cells to the lungs was assessed in lung H&E stained slides. Frozen lungs sections were assessed for Myeloperoxidase (B) and N-acetylglucosaminidase (C) contents, indirect measurements for neutrophils and macrophages, respectively. Mice were euthanized (n = 6–8 in each group) 1, 4 and 7 dpi and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed. Absolute numbers of airways leukocytes after infection with 10⁵ PFU (D). Total proteins (E) and nitrite (NO2⁻; F) were also determined in BALF. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *, ** and *** for p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively, when compared to mock or indicated groups (one-way ANOVA, Newman-Keuls).