Stimulation of iNKT Cells with α-GalCer during an Established Infection Exacerbates L. donovani Growth in the Liver.

C57BL/6 mice were infected with L. donovani and treated with either vehicle control (open bars) or 2 µg α-GalCer (closed bars) i.p., or injected i.v. with 5×10⁵ vehicle-pulsed BMDC (open bars) or α-GalCer-pulsed BMDC (closed bars) on day 14 p.i.. Parasite burdens were determined in the liver at day 14 p.i. in untreated mice (grey bars; base-line parasite burden) and 1 wk later in treated groups, as indicated (A). Data represent the mean±SEM of parasite burdens (LDU) from four mice per group. Serum TNF (B) and IFNγ (C) levels at indicated time points are also shown. Statistical differences of p<0.05 (*) for vehicle versus α-GalCer treatment are indicated.