Figure 1
IL-6 and IL-6R are essential to survive infections with sublethal doses of the influenza H1N1 virus. (a) Wild-type mice (n=4) were infected with a sublethal dose of the H1N1 PR8 virus (3 × 103 EIU) intranasal (i.n.). IL-6 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of infected mice were determined at the indicated periods of time p.i. by Luminex. Values represent mean±s.d. (b) Kaplan–Meier survival curve of wild-type mice (WT) and IL-6 KO mice (n=4) after i.n. infection with the H1N1 PR8 virus (3 × 103 EIU). (c) Kaplan–Meier survival curve of WT and IL-6R KO mice (n=5) infected with the H1N1 PR8 virus as described in panel a. (d) Kaplan–Meier survival curve of WT and IL-6 KO mice (n=5) infected with a sublethal dose of the A/California/7/2009 H1N1 influenza virus (3 × 103 EIU). * Denotes P<0.05. Statistical significance was determined by log-rank test (panels b–d). IL, interleukin.
