Figure 3

CCL5/CCR5 is essential to mediate immune cell infiltration in the central nervous system (CNS) of aG- or CTN-infected mice. (A) The percentages of CCR5⁺ cells in CD11b⁺ macrophages from brain infiltration of lymphocytes (BILs) or splenocytes in mice infected with rabies viruses (RABVs) were assessed using flow cytometry. (B) The relative mRNA level of CCR5 was analyzed in mock- or aG-infected brain samples on day 5 postinfection (p.i.). (C) The number of migrated splenocytes in response to CCL5 (100 ng/ml) was analyzed using in vitro transwell assay. (D) The phosphorylation of Fak and Akt in splenocytes from mock- or aG-infected mice was determined by western blot, while exogenous CCL5-stimulated splenocytes were used as a positive control. (E and F) Suckling mice were intracerebrally (i.c.) injected with exogenous CCL5 (25 μl, 5 μg/ml). On day 1 p.i., cells isolated from brains were collected to assess the percentages of F4/80⁺CD11b^hi microglia/macrophages, CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes using flow cytometry. (G) The percentage of infiltrated CD3⁺ T cells in the brain of mock- or CTN-infected mice was analyzed using flow cytometry.