Figure 2

MHC class II positive macrophages are targets of VV infection in the CNS. Wild type mice were infected intrathecally with 1.000 PFUs of VV (eGFP), a replication competent recombinant VV expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in infected cells. On day 4 after infection, mice were sacrificed, and spleen and CNS mononuclear cells were isolated and analyzed by flow cytometry. In the live cell gate, the following populations were defined based on their expression of CD11b and CD45: (A) spleen (SPL), left panel: (1) CD11b^lowCD45^high lymphocytes, (2) CD11b^intCD45^high dendritic cells, (3) CD11b^highCD45^high macrophages. (A) CNS, right panel: (1) CD11b^lowCD45^high lymphocytes, (2) CD11b^intCD45^int microglia, (3) CD11b^highCD45^high macrophages. (B) These populations were analyzed as to their expression of eGFP and MHC class II by flow cytometry. Numbers indicate percentages of positive cells in each quadrant or gate (representative out of 3 independent experiments).