CD11c⁺ cells are not required to respond to type I IFN or trans-present IL-15 during the activation of NK cell IFN-γ production during infection. (A) Ifnar^f/f and Ifnar^f/f Itgax-cre mice were infected with 10⁴ pfu HSV-2 ivag and examined for IFN-γ in the vaginal lavages collected days 1–3 p.i. (n = 5; repeated once with similar results). (B) WT and Ifnar^−/− mice were given 0.5 µg IL-15 in complex with 1 µg IL-15Rα i.p. and subsequently infected with 5 × 10⁴ pfu HSV-2 ivag on the same day. Vaginal washes were collected on days 1–3 p.i. and examined for IFN-γ levels (n = 4; repeated once with similar results). (C and D) Spleen (C; n = 3) and vaginal (D; n = 2) tissue were collected on day 3 p.i. and examined for CD45⁺CD3⁻NK1.1⁺ NK cells as shown in the representative flow plots. (E and F) Flow data are quantitatively shown for spleen (E) and vaginal mucosa (F). Data in A, B, E, and F are displayed as mean ± SEM and were analyzed using two-way ANOVA: n.s., not significant; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.