Age-Dependent TLR3 Expression of the Intestinal Epithelium Contributes to Rotavirus Susceptibility
Figure 3
Rotavirus susceptibility of TrifLps2/Lps2 and Tlr3−/− mice.
(A) Adult wild-type (wt) (n = 6), Tlr3−/− (n = 7) and TrifLps2/Lps2 (n = 5) mice were orally infected with rotavirus EDIM and shedding in fecal droppings was monitored by ELISA at day 4 p.i. in parallel with a serial dilution of a RRV virus stock with known virus titer to facilitate determination of infectious units (IU). (B) Adult wild-type (wt) and TrifLps2/Lps2 mice were orally infected with rotavirus EDIM and monitored for rotavirus antigen shedding between day 1 and day 10 p.i. (wt n = 8; TrifLps2/Lps2 n = 7). The relative OD450 nm values normalized to the values obtained from wt animals at day 4 p.i. are shown to facilitate comparison of independent experiments. (C) Suckling wt and TrifLps2/Lps2 mice were orally infected with rotavirus EDIM and colon homogenates were analyzed for IU at day 4 p.i. as described for (A). (D) OD450 nm values normalized to the values obtained from wt animals at day 5 p.i. were measured in colon homogenates of suckling wt and TrifLps2/Lps2 mice at day 5, 10 and 14 p.i. (n = 3, time point and genotype). (*p<0.05; **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, Mann-Whitney test).