Alveolar Macrophages Are Essential for Protection from Respiratory Failure and Associated Morbidity following Influenza Virus Infection
Figure 5
Selective restoration of AM development in Csf2rb−/− mice prevents severe morbidity and mortality following influenza virus infection.
Whole CD45+ cells containing progenitors of AM were sorted from lungs of CD45.1+ E18.5 embryos by flow cytometry and transferred intranasally into neonatal CD45.2+ Csf2rb−/− mice. (A) Six weeks after transfer, recipient mice were analyzed for the presence of donor-derived AM. (B) Bar graphs display the total AM cell number in the BAL and lung. (C) Dot plots depict the expression of CD103 and CD11b on CD11c+MHCII+Siglec-F− lung DCs and frequencies of CD45.1+ (donor-derived) and CD45.2+ (recipient-derived) cells among CD103+ DCs are shown. (D–G) Eight weeks after transfer, recipient mice were infected with 50 pfu PR8 influenza virus. (D) Total protein concentration in the BAL at d5 after infection. (E) Loss of body weight and temperature and (F) survival was monitored during the course of infection (mean ± SEM of 6–9 mice per group). (G) Lung virus titer at day 5 p.i.