Liver-derived lipocalin-2 is dispensable for protection against dissemination of infection to the spleen, and lipocalin-2 deficiency does not impair neutrophil influx to the site of infection. (A) Lipocalin-2 concentrations in plasma from WT mice, KO-Hep, and KO mice analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All mice included in the experiment with liver-specific lipocalin-2 knockouts are analyzed. (B) Clinical scores for WT, KO-Hep, and KO mice using the same clinical score criteria as in Figure 1. (C) Bacterial counts are expressed as logarithmic transformed (log₁₀) CFUs per milliliter in BALF for each of the 3 subgroups. (D) Bacterial counts in spleen homogenates are expressed as logarithmic transformed (log₁₀) CFUs per milliliter. (E) Bacterial counts in liver homogenates are expressed as logarithmic transformed (log₁₀) CFUs per milliliter. WT: n = 9, KO-Hep: n = 10, and KO: n = 9. (F) Relative expression of Lcn2 messenger RNA in lung homogenates and (G) liver homogenates from the same 5 randomly selected mice as in Figure 1D-E analyzed by qRT-PCR. No qRT-PCR signal for KO/KO mice was obtained, and so this group was excluded in the statistical testing, which was performed using ∆Ct values. (H) Concentrations of MPO in lung homogenates from the same 5 randomly selected mice from each transplanted subgroup as in Figure 1D-E and panels F-G analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a measure of the presence of neutrophils in lung tissue. No statistically significant differences between groups as tested by analysis of variance with Tukey's multiple comparison test. Horizontal bars indicate means (A,C-E,H) and medians (F-G): *P < .05, **P < .01, ***P < .001 by analysis of variance with Tukey's multiple comparison test.