Fig. 4: Axl-receptor defective macrophages express improved induction of M1 responses.

a BMDMs from WT (closed triangles), Axl^−/− (open triangles) and Mer^−/− (closed squares) mice were cultured in triplicate in medium only or with T cells from normal or infected (15 dpi) WT mice. After 48 h, culture supernatants and nonadherent cells were removed, and adherent cells were stained for flow cytometry. In parallel cultures, macrophages were infected with T. cruzi metacyclic forms (multiplicity of infection, MOI of 8:1), washed, and cultured for an additional 72 h period. b, c In the plots, F4/80⁺ cells were gated and then analysed for b surface CD301 and intracellular IL-12p35 in macrophages cultured with medium only; c intracellular iNOS and Arg1 expression in macrophages treated as indicated. d Graphs depict iNOS expression. e, f Supernatants were evaluated for NO production. g Intracellular parasites were counted by light microscopy. The results are expressed as the means and SEM of n = 3 technical replicates. Significant differences between different macrophages are indicated for ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001, and ^****P < 0.0001, as analysed by ANOVA with Tukey’s posttest. The results are representative of 3 independent experiments. In g, the data represent 2 independent experiments.