Figure 2
Severe lung damage in IL-6-deficient mice caused by H1N1 influenza virus infection. (a and b) Wild-type mice (n=4) and IL-6 KO mice (n=4) were infected with a sublethal dose of the H1N1 PR8 virus (3 × 103 EIU) intranasal (i.n.). Total protein (panel a) and albumin (panel b) concentrations in BALF were determined at day 9 p.i. (c and d) Histopathology of lungs from WT and IL-6 KO mice at day 9 p.i. with PR8 H1N1. In all, × 100 and × 200 (panel c) or × 200 and × 400 (panel d) magnifications of H&E-stained lung sections are shown. Arrows in panel d point to the epithelium of the airways. *P<0.05. Statistical significance was determined by Student's t-test (panels a and b). Results are representative of at least two independent experiments. BALF, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; IL, interleukin; p.i., post infection; WT, wild type.
