Fig. 3

Flow cytometric and ELISA analysis demonstrated Th2 immune response in different species of Plasmodium-infected 4-week-old and 8-week-old BALB/c mice. Representative dot plots (upper-left panel) (a), column diagram:upper-left panel, the proportion of Th2 cells in CD4⁺ T cells (b) and absolute cell number (c) of CD4⁺GATA3⁺IL-4⁺ Th2 cells in 4-week-old and 8-week-old BALB/c mice after P.y17XNL infection are displayed. Level of IL-4 (d) in spleen cell supernatants in P.y17XNL-infected BALB/c mice were measured. Representative dot plots (upper-left panel) (e), The proportion (f) and absolute cell number (g) of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺Tfh cells were measured by flow cytometry in 4-week-old and 8-week-old BALB/c mice after Py17XNL infection. Results are presented as arithmetic mean of 9 mice each group ± SE. Single asterisk (*) and double asterisks (**) indicate p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively, as compared with control mice. A single pound sign (#) and double pound sign (##) indicate p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively, as compared with 8-week-old mice. Normal control group: 0 day group