Fig. 4: Nedd9 knockout boosts inflammatory response in ST infection and facilitates bacterial clearance in vivo.

Infection of Nedd9^wt/wt and Nedd9^-/- mice with ST for 4 days. A IL-6 levels in spleens, n = 6 animals/group, Nedd9^wt/wt vs. Nedd9^-/-, unpaired t-test: p = 0.0127. B In vivo bacterial burden expressed as colony forming units (CFU) in spleens of Nedd9^wt/wt and Nedd9^-/- mice per gram of spleen tissue, Nedd9^wt/wt n = 13, Nedd9^-/- n = 20, Mann-Whitney test: p = 0.0072. C Representative HE-stained sections of spleens. Scale bars represent 1000 µm at 25x magnification and 200 µm at 100x magnification. D Analysis of mean follicle size per spleen area (µm), Nedd9^wt/wt n = 8, Nedd9^-/- n = 13, unpaired t-test: p = 0.0119. E Number of follicles > 50 µm, Nedd9^wt/wt n = 18, Nedd9^-/- n = 26, unpaired t-test: p = 0.0021. F Number of follicles ≤ 50 µm, Nedd9^wt/wt n = 9, Nedd9^-/- n = 13, unpaired t-test: p < 0.0001. G Quantification of infiltrating CD11b+ cells (macrophages) as % of CD45+ cells in spleen tissue by flow cytometry, Nedd9^wt/wt n = 6, Nedd9^-/- n = 7, unpaired t-test: p = 0.0222. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ****p ≤ 0.0001.