LFA-1 mediated cellular interactions contribute to BBB opening.

<p>Five days after infection with PbA, CBA/CaJ mice were inoculated with 200 µg anti-LFA-1 mAb (N = 10) or no antibody (N = 10). A) Neurological signs based on RMCBS grading were significantly reduced in anti-LFA-1 treated PbA-infected mice compared to the untreated PbA-infected control mice. The data are represented as average ± SD. B) While 90% of the PbA-infected mice (N = 10) developed severe ECM between day 6 and 8, only 40% of the anti-LFA-1 treated mice (N = 10) showed neurological signs. C) Compared to PbA-infected untreated mice (N = 7), anti-LFA-1 treated PbA-infected mice (N = 8) exhibited a significant reduction in vascular leakage in the brain. Separate graphic representation of the 1 ECM-negative and 6 ECM-positive mouse brains from the PbA group and the 1 ECM-positive and 7 ECM-negative mouse brains from the PbA/anti-LFA-1 group revealed that neurological signs and vascular leakage are directly correlated. The data represent the average OD620 measurements from the two brain hemispheres from each mouse ± SD. Three of the 10 PbA-infected mice and 2 of the 10 PbA-infected/anti-LFA-1 treated mice died overnight and were excluded from analysis. D) Depiction of the parasitemia-to-RMCBS ratio accentuates the effect of LFA-1 blockage on the development of neurological signs.