Mice lacking B cells exhibit severe pulmonary pathology during chronic infection.

<p>C57BL/6 4get/µMT and C57BL/6 4get controls were sacrificed at 16 weeks post infection. <b>A</b>, <b>C</b>, Liver and lung sections from control and µMT animals were stained with Masson's trichrome. White boxes indicate coalescing granulomas (<b>A</b>) and arrowheads indicate eggs embolized in the lungs (<b>B</b>), <b>C</b>, Liver sections were stained with an antibody against mouse F4/80 (Blue) and imaged with a confocal microscope. The images shown are overlays of the Blue (F4/80)/DIC channels. Hemosiderin (indicated by arrowheads) crystals are visible under DIC conditions. <b>D</b>, Quantitation of hepatic and pulmonary egg deposition in infected control or µMT animals. Data shown are the means plus/minus SD of 9 – 10 mice per group from two independent experiments. <b>E</b>, Expression of EGFP, CD4 and CD69 by cells isolated from the livers of infected control and µMT animals were analyzed by flow cytometry. The mean and SD of data from 4 – 5 individual animals per group are graphed. <b>F</b>, Numbers of hepatic CD11c⁺F4/80^Hi macrophages (gated on Ly6c^Hi CD11b^Hi cells) at 16 weeks post infection in µMT or control mice. Data are representative of 2 – 3 individual experiments. <b>G</b>, Percent survival of infected wildtype control or AID-/- mice following a low dose infection of <i>S. mansoni</i>. <b>H</b>, Quantitation of hepatic and pulmonary egg deposition in infected control or AID -/- animals. <b>I,</b> Numbers of hepatic CD11c⁺F4/80^Hi macrophages (gated on Ly6c^Hi CD11b^Hi cells) at 16 weeks post infection in AID -/- or control mice. Data are representative of 2 individual experiments. <b>J,</b> Concentration of collagen (nanomoles/liver) in the livers of control or AID-/- mice at 16 weeks post infection. * indicates P<0.05.