Figure 2
By Western blotting, there were significant increases in caspase-3, -8, and -9 and in cytochrome C proteins in the 2 nd and 3 rd weeks post-infection compared to the controls and on the 1 st week post-infection. Dexamethasone administration significantly decreased the expression of cleaved caspase-3, -8, and -9 and cytochrome C proteins. Control: no parasitic infection; 1W: one week after infection; 2W: two weeks after infection; 3W: three weeks after infection; 3W + Dex: mice given dexamethasone for 2 weeks (7th–21st day post-infection) and sacrificed on day 21.