Fig. 3: PDH contributes to extracellular growth and immune cell-dependent bacterial clearance.

Formalin-fixed tissue sections from C57BL/6 J mice infected with (A, C) WT or (B, D) ΔPdh were prepared following (A, B) 1-dpi or (C, D) 3-dpi. Sections were examined by fluorescence microscopy following staining with anti-F4/80 PE, anti-Ly6G Alexa Fluor 647, anti-Group A Streptococcus FITC, and DAPI. Shown are extracellular bacteria (green arrows), bacteria-free macrophages (red arrows), macrophages with intracellular bacteria (yellow arrows), and merged images showing macrophages and neutrophils with intracellular bacteria (white arrows). E Transmission electron micrographs of representative macrophages infected by WT and ΔPdh as indicated. N, nucleus; Black arrow, phagosomal membrane (n = 5 per group, biological replicates). F Survival rate, (G, H) tissue damage, and (I) bacterial burden for C57BL/6 J mice following depletion of macrophages (Mφ⁻) or neutrophils (Neu⁻) and subsequently subcutaneously infected with bacteria. Data are pooled from two independent experiments, with each symbol representing an individual mouse (n = 8–10 mice per group, biological replicates). Mean and SEM is shown. Statistical significance was assessed using a two-tailed Student’s t test. For all panels, **, and *** represent p-values < 0.01, and < 0.001, respectively. ns: not significant. Exact p-values are provided in the source data. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.