Fig. 1

Absolute cell numbers and activation of NKT cells. Mice were infected with FV and bone marrow and spleen cells were harvested at 3 dpi. Cells were isolated and stained for NK cells (CD3⁻NK1.1⁺CD49b⁺, dotted bars) and NKT cells (CD3⁺NK1.1⁺, shaded). Absolute numbers of NK1.1⁺ cells are displayed in a (bone marrow) and b (spleen). The percentages of CD4⁺ (black bars), CD8⁺ (gray bars) and double-negative (DN, white bars) subsets of NKT cells in FV-infected mice were displayed in c (bone marrow) and d (spleen). NKT cells were analyzed for the activation markers CD69 (e), CD86 (f) and CD43 (g) using flow cytometry. In e, f and g, mean percentage (±SEM) of bone marrow cells are depicted with white bars whereas splenocytes are displayed in gray bars. A minimum of five mice per group were used. Experiments were repeated at least five times. Statistically significant differences between naïve and FV-infected mice were determined by the Mann–Whitney test and are indicated by single asterisk for p < 0.05 and double asterisk for p < 0.01