Fig. 1

MF re-stimulated splenocytes from MF-exposed mice present increased IgG2a, IgE and IgM secretion. Groups of wildtype BALB/c mice were either subcutaneously infected with larvae (L3, L4), i.v. injected with MF or implanted with L5 or adult worms. On day 42 pi, lymphocytes isolated from infected BALB/c mice were left unstimulated or cultured with 100 µg/ml of the Loa loa developmental stage antigen extract that was originally used to infect the mouse. Antigen stimulation in cell cultures of lymphocytes from naive BALB/c mice served as control. Re-stimulation assays were cultured for 72 h at 37 °C and 5% CO₂ and resulting levels of IgA (a), IgG1 (b), IgG2b (c), IgG3 (d), IgG2a (e), IgE (f) and IgM (g) were determined using the Luminex technology. Data show mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of the different immunoglobulins from re-stimulated splenocytes of infected (closed symbols, n = 6 per life stage/parasite antigen extract) and naive BALB/c mice (open symbols, n = 3 per parasite antigen extract). Immunoglobulin levels were normalized by subtracting background levels of the comparable un-stimulated controls. Graphs show scatter plots with mean ± SEM. Statistically significant differences between the indicated groups were detected using the Friedman test followed by a Dunn’s multiple comparison test